


Return of Voltron

by idigam



Series: Red Blade [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dads of Marmora (Voltron), Fantastic Racism, Fish out of Water, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Lore - Freeform, lots of lore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-26 09:52:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 41,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15660801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idigam/pseuds/idigam
Summary: The team that will come to be known as Team Voltron is catapulted into space and across the void. For the first time in his life Keith has hope the Empire can be stopped, but only if they can bond and overcome each other's secrets and foibles.





	1. Blue Lion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So as a little nod to one of my favorite gags in one of my favorite anime, the pronouns used for Pidge reflect the character who's perspective I'm writing, and when they figure it out.

The object streaks through the sky and careens towards a spot out in the desert. Keith looks to Pidge, “I’ll take the bike and set up, the Garrison’s gonna be there in like ten. Meet me in fifteen.”

 

Pidge nods and to everyone’s dismay Keith launches himself over the railing and slides down the edge the Garrison building, using his momentum to carry him through a series jumps until he’s on ground level.

 

Lance turns to Pidge, “so, in three and a half years has he always been that extra?”

 

Pidge sighs, “for as long as I’ve known him.”

****

 

 

Keith makes for his hover-bike, it’s now or never, either the Lion is found and rescued or Zarkon comes here and adds Earth to the Empire.

 

Fuck, even if he saves the Lion earth’s probably screwed.

 

Opening up the saddle bag he has attached to it he pulls on his Blade suit and mask.

 

Then he takes out his mother’s blade, willing it into it’s sword form and giving a few practice swings.

 

He gives one last look at the Garrison, tonight his mission on Earth officially ends.

****

 

 

Lance and Hunk apparently decided to forgo whatever plans they had been intending in favor of following Pidge to the crash site.

 

Pidge sucks in a breath when she sees Shiro getting dragged into the medical room via the cameras she’s hacked.

 

Shiro’s alive, for the first time in months Pidge has hope.

 

“Holy crow! That’s Shiro that guy’s my hero! what are they doing to him?! We gotta get in there.” Lance is emphatic, and okay it’s nice to know Lance is on their side but what they need is a plan.

 

“We need a plan, or some sort of distraction,” Pidge replies. _C’mon Keith where are you?_

 

That question is answered by a series of loud explosions and the hover-bike parking behind a rocky outcropping.

 

Trucks all make for the explosions, and Keith, holy crap uses some kind of electric stun stick on the one guard left, taking the guys ID card.

****

 

 

Damn the card only gets him as far as the labs and the staff are all either chasing his distraction or beyond this last locked door.

 

Well since subtlety isn’t something he cares a lick about anymore, he pulls out his Blade.

****

 

 

Shiro’s screaming at his captors, t _his is the Garrison, the people he gave his life too, why wont they listen to him?_

 

“You need to listen, they’re coming. They destroy worlds we wont stand a chance unless you listen to me please!”

 

_They wont stand chance anyway._

 

“Don’t worry Shiro, it’ll all be over soon. Put him under until we know what that thing is.”

 

One of the masked doctors says before getting ready to inoculate him.

 

Then there’s a crash, then a large section of the doors fall away to reveal a masked figure Shiro panics. The figure moves with blinding speed incapacitating the doctors.

 

Shiro tries to struggle, “Shiro, stop it’s me,” the voice is distorted but the mask fades to reveal Keith.

 

He cuts Shiro’s bonds, “we need to get out of here now.”

 

“Hey, no, no, nope, no; I’m saving Shiro.”

 

Shiro looks up to see a bunch of cadets, one looks sort of familiar but his mind’s too cloudy to place it.

 

“You are competitive about the stupidest shit, fine, take one arm and help me get him to the bike.”

****

 

 

Unfortunately the Garrison was neither as distractable nor forgiving as Keith had hoped.

 

“Hunk lean left!” The bike really wasn’t built to accommodate everyone.

 

Luckily Keith’s a better pilot than anyone in the Garrison except Shiro, and he knows this terrain inside and out, having spent so many years tracking every cave painting in the place.

 

One vehicle flips and a second crashes into it. Maybe he should feel guilty, but he’s fallen back on his training, if they’re alive than good for them, if not, it’s not the first.

 

“Mr. Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery,” Hunk announces, “no wait, he’s fine.”

 

_Well good for them._

 

“Everyone lean forward,” He uses, weight momentum and a number of other factors to carry everyone screaming over a canyon. Leaving the Garrison in the dust.

****

 

 

After another forty five minutes of taking the scenic route they’re back at his shack. He leads them in, Shiro looks at him, terror still filling his eyes, mixed with wary suspicion of his rescuers. He wont let Keith touch him, but he has to be examined, that crash was not gentle.

 

Keith sighs, he didn’t want to do this, but he doses Shiro with a sedative and muscle relaxant.

 

Lance collapses, almost on his bed when Keith glares at him, “couch or floor McClain.”

 

Lance grumbles and moves to the couch.

 

Keith sets up a screen between Shiro and the group to examine him.

 

He sucks in a breath when he gets a good look at Shiro’s arm, it’s been replaced with a Galra prosthetic. Definitely weapons grade, the scars crossing his body speak to not only life as a slave but an arena slave. Knowing exactly what kind of trials Shiro likely faced Keith has to shut down his emotions to finish the exam.

 

The arm is the worst part, the skin is molded into the metal at certain points, it’s an alloy that conducts quintessence, not wanting to do more then look Keith still has to open it up, tiny Balmera crystal fragments confirm his theory.

 

The arm almost feels like a living thing, filled with hate.

 

The arm is Druid design, the precision with which it’s attached speaks of Drule fleshcraft though.

 

Matt may have been there with him, Shiro knows how to fight, he’s experienced, Matt isn’t.

 

Keith can only hope they’d been separated.

 

Ancestors of the Void, what am I supposed to tell Pidge?

****

 

 

Leaving Shiro to get the rest he surely needs he goes out side and decides to take out his frustrations on a few rocks and withered trees.

 

Pidge follows him out and remains silent until he screams with frustration.

 

“That bad?”

 

Keith sighs, “yeah, I don’t even want to think about what they put him through.”

 

Pidge is cold, “you know a lot about this, you know what Voltron is.”

 

Keith nods, “It’s my fault, I knew the Empire was pushing it’s tendrils into the Milky Way, I knew they were interested, I should have done something. I should have said something, but what could I say? Hey Matt, hey Shiro, I’m not totally human and I think an intergalactic evil empire might be lurking around your galaxy so you shouldn’t go on the Kerberos mission. Then they disappeared and all I could think about is what I should, what I had to do but I-”

 

He’s cut off by Pidge’s fist meeting his face, when he’s stunned Pidge grabs his head and looks him in the eye, “slow down, explain everything, and if you really feel responsible then you help me get them back. So help me if you try and tell me it’s too dangerous and send me home I will never speak to you again.”

 

He nods, Pidge lets go, “sorry, I just, there’s so much, and it is dangerous, and.”

 

He chokes, “I don’t know if we’ll find your family, or what state they’ll be in.”

 

Pidge nods brave front but there’s panic underneath it, “I’ve known the possibilities from the get go, I knew more after we first picked up that chatter.”

 

Keith collapses onto a bench, “yeah, the Empire, that’s probably the first thing you want to know. Pidge I wont tell you to go home, I know if I try that you’ll probably poison me and leave me behind hog tied in the shack. But yeah, it’s dangerous, more dangerous than you could possibly imagine.”

 

Pidge sits next to him, “no more secrets Kogane.”

 

“Not possible, some of what I know is something Zarkon, the big bad in charge of the Empire, has destroyed planets to find. I can’t give you that kind of knowledge unless absolutely necessary.”

 

Pidge glares at him, “EXCUSE ME?!”

 

Keith cuts her off with a look, “I have seen trained soldiers, people who are taught to resist torture, broken, left catatonic vegetables waiting for their bodies to die. My dad tried to protect me from it but I know the kind of horrors their scientists produce, living hulking monstrosities born from a horrible, what I can only call alchemy, and captured prisoners. Things that would leave Mary Shelly awake at night screaming.”

****

 

 

It wasn’t so much the description as the pure naked terror on Keith’s face when he was giving it, the pent up frustration he thought he was hiding since the Kerberos mission. Something Pidge just chalked up to being stuck the same way they all were.

 

Pidge stares at him seething, but calmer now, “how about I ask questions and you answer or tell me if you can’t.”

 

Keith sighs, “fine.”

 

“How do you know all this stuff?”

 

“The base I grew up on is a rebel base devoted to stopping the Empire, that’s all I can tell you about that.”

 

“Huh, how very princess Leia.”

 

Keith huffs out a short humorless laugh “you have no idea.”

 

“Do you know where my family might be?”

 

“No, I know Shiro was in the Empire’s arena then he was given over to the Druids. The only way Matt and Sam are alive is if that didn’t happen to them. There is a good chance of that, the Galra don’t like to waste slaves cheaply.”

 

Pidge’s isn’t sure how to feel about that, on the one hand alive means hope, on the other hand, knowing they might have been slaves for a year isn’t a good prospect.

 

“Who are the Druids?”

 

“Zarkon has this, witch I guess? She’s an adviser and completely loyal to him, the Druids are loyal to her. They’re basically evil space wizards.”

 

 _Huh, okay, that’s weird_ , “so magic is real?”

 

“I guess? The Druids are one of the things that we know the least about. They manipulate quintessence, which is I guess the best analogy is soul-stuff? Like it’s the life-force of everything. Shiro’s prosthetic is powered by it.”

 

He takes a breath, “they probably used a sapient living being to make it.”

 

Pidge feels a little green, “okay, maybe add a don’t tell me if it’s too squick rule?”

 

Keith leans back, “that’s gonna cut down on a lot of info, the Empire isn’t nice.”

 

 _Choosing to ignore that_ ; “What’s Voltron?”

 

“A weapon, a warrior, a myth, all of the above? I don’t know, I grew up on stories of it. Supposedly it’s the most powerful piece of technology to have ever existed. I’ll be honest, until I was told to find it, I didn’t think it actually existed, or at least I haven’t since I was like eight. Supposedly it requires five paladins to operate it. The paladins are chosen by the lions that make it up.”

 

“That’s why you have all that research on the cave carvings. How much of what you told me about yourself is a lie?” That question is bitter, Keith flinches but he doesn’t question it, good he deserves this.

 

“Not actually that much, obviously I didn’t grow up in Eastern Europe, but I was born around this area, lived here until that wasn’t safe. Then I went to live with my mom’s family.”

 

“So you’re only half human?”

 

Keith flinches again he doesn’t answer just nods, but he curls in like he’s expecting to be hit. So apparently that’s got some major baggage behind it.

 

Keith arrived when he was fourteen, but his age could have been a lie. “How long have you been in this?”

 

“I’ve been helping my dads since I was about six, I’ve been taking part in missions since I was twelve.”

 

Pidge just stares at him in naked shock, “you’re a child soldier!?”

 

Keith bristles, “no, I was given a choice, I grew up on the front lines, it wasn’t safe for me here I at least had a chance where I was!”

 

It’s clear he loves his family, the way he talks about them even before this reveal and his face now. Pidge decides to end that line of questioning, would Keith even know if he qualifies? He could be pretty indoctrinated.

 

But thinking back to Shiro, to everything they’ve talked about tonight. It’s starting to sink in just how out of depth Pidge is. “I think, I need to process.”

 

Keith just nods stiffly, “feel free to take the bed.”

 

Pidge decides to do just that.

 

Keith falls asleep staring up at the stars.

****

 

 

Sometime early that morning Keith wakes up to hear the door slowly close, his instincts tell him to pretend to be asleep, someone walks over to the mound in front of the shack. It’s Shiro, he’s changed clothes. He looks more like the Shiro Keith remembers save that white streak in his hair. He smells like he’s just showered.

 

He’s looking at his arm.

 

“You okay?” Keith’s voice is quiet and non threatening.

 

Shiro still jumps, “uh, yeah, I thought you were asleep.”

 

Keith stands up and walks over to him, “just woke up.”

 

He hugs Shiro, rubbing his cheek over the man’s chest, trying to get that familiar scent of home, but even still he smells like fear and medical facilities. It’s stronger than the soap even and Keith’s heart breaks.

 

“I’m so sorry, I’m so so sorry, I-” Shiro holds Keith close.

 

“Shh, I’m alive Keith, I’m here, there’s nothing you could have done.”

 

Keith doesn’t believe that for a second.

****

 

 

Keith comes back into the shack, having showered and changed back into civilian clothes to find the whole group chatting.

 

“So I was looking through Pidge’s stuff, check out this picture of his girlfriend.” Pidge snatches what is clearly a picture taken with Matt.

 

“Anyway I started flipping through his diary.”

 

“YOU WHAT!?”  


Hunk ignores the angry teammate who snatches a leather bound book out of his hands, “I remember how you mentioned that energy signature and well it’s a Fraunhofer line, and I think with this I can actually make something to detect it.”

 

Pidge is seething Shiro puts a hand on her shoulder.

 

“Alright, what do you need? Use anything you think will help, if you need anything else I’ll get it.” Keith’s tone is clipped and business-like.

 

Before they leave Pidge asks if Shiro remembers anything about the rest of his crew, “sorry, just bits and pieces, I remember the mission, I remember waking up on one of their ships. Otherwise, nothing consistent.”

 

 _Makes sense_ _beyond the trauma_ _, for every gift black quintessence gives it exacts an equally terrible price._ Keith’s stomach turns.

 

Pidge smells of distress, Keith’s instincts tell him to comfort his pride. He puts an arm around Pidge’s shoulder, Pidge stiffens for a moment then leans into it. Keith hopes this means that, even if he’s not forgiven, he’s still needed.

****

 

 

That is how everyone ended up in the middle of the desert following a magic Geiger counter. To a cave Keith has already searched. He’s about to point this out when the walls shine with blue quintessence and the floor opens under them.

 

They end up in a pool of water at the bottom of the slide. At the feet of the Blue Lion; Keith is in awe, “is this Voltron?” Pidge asks not knowing the complexity of what Voltron is. Even Keith doesn’t fully know.

 

“Must be,” Shiro replies.

 

 _It’s only a fifth of it,_ he wants to say.

 

“Does anyone feel like the eyes are following them?” Lance asks.

 

“No,” Shiro replies confused.

 

Keith stiffens, _no_ , the thinks

 

“No they totally are.”

 

 _No, just no, why? I know that blue quintessence is the actual worst but c’mon, at least have a sense of basic taste!_ Instead he says, “wonder how to get through this,” indicating the particle barrier.

 

“Maybe you just have to knock.” Lance does just that and the field drops.

 

Everyone is in awe, except Keith, Keith is seething, _why must you be this way?_ He thinks; very angry at Blue.

 

As they approach the lion Keith shoots Pidge a silent scream of rage.

 

“What?”

 

“I’ll explain later, but just a heads up it will be a long, loud, and very angry explanation.

 

This is cut off by the image Voltron, the true image of Voltron, it washes away everything with the sheer majesty of it’s being.

 

Keith can feel it, the searing heat of both the stars he grew up among and the molten core beneath his feet.

 

Hunk can sense the stability of the stone, the movement of plates, the awesome power of the earth both immovable and always moving.

 

Pidge can feel the wind, the greenery of life, the pulse of evolution itself. Driving forward into an unknown future.

 

Lance can feel the waves of his home, the water of every well in the desert, every drop in the air, the rivers connecting to the oceans. The storms raining sheets of it down, lightening arcing between the clouds.

 

Shiro is at a loss, he can feel something, but it’s limited. He can feel the void, the cold nothingness between stars, there’s loss, like that’s only half of what should be. That a presence is obscuring the full experience, one of ancient malice that separates it’s darkness from the peaceful emptiness around him.

 

The lion opens itself it accepts Lance.

****

 

 

Keith is almost impressed by the connection Lance has with the lion, if he wasn’t still the worst pilot.

 

“You are still the worst pilot ever! Stop yanking on the controls!” He shouts.

****

 

 

“What am I looking at,” Iverson asks, stunned by the loop de looping flying lion.

 

“Uh, well sir, it appears to be a giant, robotic, blue, flying lion.”

 

He’s about to snarl at his second to shoot it down and bring it in when there’s a rumble below them and someone calls on his radio, “sir! Your, uh, your office just exploded.”

 

“WHAT!?” He screams.

 

Back on the blue lion, Keith examines his watch and grins, Shrio recognizing that look even after a year sighs, “what did you do?”

 

Keith jolts startled, “uh, okay, but you can’t be mad.”

 

Shiro just takes a breath, “what, did you do?”

 

“I might have, just maybe, overloadedapowercoreinIverson’soffice.” He slams the last half together and Shiro’s eyes go wide.

 

“You did what!?”

 

Hunk looks horrified, “is that what I was modifying that for?”

 

Pidge is cackling like a mad scientist, “nice!”

 

Shiro makes a paternal sigh that until that moment Keith thought only Ulaz was capable of making, “please don’t encourage him.”

 

Keith stares ahead, grin tugging at his lips, “I’m not apologizing.”

****

 

 

“What are you doing” Keith screams as they take off for the high atmosphere.

 

“I don’t know it’s like it’s on auto pilot.” Lance retorts.

 

 _Well that would explain how he’s managing to break atmo instead of crash into the mantle._ Keith thinks, he’s not bitter, not at all, it’s not like the legendary weapon he may or may not have fantasized about being a part of for his entire life is currently being helmed by Lance of all people.

 

“It says there’s ship heading towards earth I think we’re supposed to stop it.”

 

“Says?” Pidge asks shooting a glance at Keith who shrugs.

 

“It’s not using words, just feeding ideas directly into my mind.” Lance does exaggerated finger wiggles to emphasize.

 

“Maybe we should just give them the lion and they’ll go away.” Hunk suggests, Keith’s about to retort when Shiro breaks his silence.

  
“No you don’t understand these monsters spread like a plague destroying everything in their path. They wont stop until everything is dead.”

 

 _Okay, wow, yeah, that’s the Empire summarized, but ouch._ Keith is glad human ears aren’t expressive because he can feel his Galra half shrinking in shame at Shiro’s tone.

 

He’s distracted from the inner thoughts of his pride rejecting him by the Empire battle cruiser bearing down on them.

 

Shiro’s voice goes distant and his eyes glaze, he’s only half present half in some terribly painful memory, “they found me.”

 

The cruiser opens fire.


	2. Red Lion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First fight, first time as Voltron, first NDE for most of the crew. It's a long day for everyone. Also I hope you enjoy Keith's fanboy moment as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The lion is a capable fighter and begrudgingly Keith has to admit Lance is in sync with it. It carves open the side of the cruiser with it’s claws and it’s laser destroys the flank canons. Keith eyes the primary weapon, the Ion Canon, warily.

****

 

 

“They aren’t shooting just chasing us,” Lance observes.

 

“What and that’s a good thing?” Hunk questions.

 

“They want the lion intact which means that they wont shoot to kill.” Keith and Pidge yell at Hunk at the same time.

 

“Wait!” Shiro says, “that’s Kerberos, we’re at the edge of the solar system.”

 

“That’s impossible it’s been like five seconds, it takes our ships months to get out here!” Pidge gapes, but the shock doesn’t keep her from noticing the expression on Keith’s face.

 

There’s a lot said about human space travel in one expression.

 

A wormhole appears before them, Keith’s in awe, not only is the culmination of his mission, but his life’s work here, but it’s in the form of travel not seen since the fall of Altea.

 

“It wants us to go through there.” Lance announces, he turns to Shiro, “you’re the senior officer here.”

 

“The lion knows more than any of us,” Keith doesn’t miss the expression being turned back on him from Pidge. “I say we trust it; but we’re a team now. Are we in agreement?”

 

Keith and Pidge nod first, Lance is next, Hunk just kind of makes a resigned gesture.

****

 

 

The trip is rough, and Hunk does vomit, Keith hands him a flask of his own mixture meant for Hunk’s stomach.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“I’m only surprised it took this long,” Pidge deadpans.

 

“We must be a long way from Earth I don’t recognize any of these constellations.”

  
Keith does, he remembers learning them from Kolivan and Thace on his R8 back home. Arus, a primitive planet at the edge of the Empire. His blood goes cold, at the edge of Balor territory, Sendak’s territory, this stinks of fate.

 

Fate’s a dick.

 

“I think it’s going home,” Lance offers.

 

_Home as in…_

****

 

 

The group starts bickering, Keith offers a singe snide comment but his heart isn’t in it. He can see it on the horizon, at first it looks like a mountain, no, it’s in the mountain. Shiro quiets them all, it reminds Keith of his dads whenever he and Regris would bicker too much, he misses them.

 

 _The Castle of Lions_ , his breath is knocked from his lungs, this is it.

 

“My crew was captured by aliens once I’m not about to let it happen again.”

 

While his feelings are understandable, the way Shiro says ‘aliens’ gives Keith uncomfortable vibes that echo the term ‘half-breed.’

 

****

 

 

The crew decides to explore the outside of the castle, the lion roars and the doors open.

 

Keith moves like he’s in a daze, Pidge touches his arm, “you alright? You’ve been out of it since we exited the wormhole.”

 

“Imagine a dragon flew you to literal Narnia and you’ll get a sense of how I feel right now.” He whispers back.

  
Pidge raises a brow.

 

“I grew up hearing myths about this place Pidge, to be here now.” He shakes his head, he can’t describe it.

 

The castle’s lighting system reactivates leading them down a series of twists and turns, they end up at a cryopod room. One of the occupants falling out and into Lance’s arms, Keith makes a small squeak.

 

Pidge looks amused, “what was that?”

 

“Remember what I told you upstairs?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Add ‘to wake up Snow White’ to it.”

 

“Evil king, and wicked witch too right?”

 

Keith, well he never considered that. “I am living in a science fiction fairytale right now.”

 

Pidge looks at him, “I know, later, but, I have like a dozen more questions for you.”

 

Keith nods, “that’s fair.”

 

Hunk just stares at the lady who now has Lance pinned.

 

“What are you doing in my castle? Where’s King Alfor?”

 

_Oh quiznack she has no idea._

 

Life is complicated and mean.

 

Allura introduces herself as Princess Allura of Altea.

 

Reactivating the second pod, results in another figure from legend, one not quite living up to the hype as he immediately gets into a childish what-if game with Lance.

 

Keith’s still pretty much in a daze.

 

She’s lost in some clearly painful memory.

 

“It can’t be, we’ve been asleep for ten thousand deca-phoebs! Altea, and every planet in it’s system, is gone. Our whole civilization.”

 

Then the topic of Zarkon comes up, “He was the king of the Galra, a vile creature and enemy of all free people.”

 

Shiro states he was Zarkon’s prisoner, which _, yay, I’m not the one who has to tell her Zarkon’s not only alive but supreme dictator of the known universe._

 

A bit of explaining and the instruments inform them that a Galra war ship has set it’s tracker to them.

 

“How could they have found us already?”

 

“I don’t know but I bet it’s Keith’s fault.”

 

“Really not the time Lance,” Keith snarls, he can feel his pulse quickening, the heraldry on the ship’s ID, it’s House Balor, Sendak’s flagship.  
  
His memory flickers back to a time long ago, his second home dying to a different ship with the same heraldry. Then a more recent memory his family and he being shot down by another Balor ship.

 

_How many of these quiznaking things do I have to destroy, how many times do I have to fight this Ancestor’s damned House?_

 

According to Coran they have two quintants, and the lions are connected to Allura’s life force.

 

“The Black Lion looks like it’s in the same place as the Blue Lion.” Pidge examines one coordinate. Causing Coran to make a comment that, were Pidge clearly trying to not piss off the already tense princess, would have gotten him hit.

 

“The black lion can only be freed when all four of the others are assembled.”

 

She goes on to explain the bond as best she can, and the formation of Voltron talking about the qualities of the pilots needed to synchronize with each.

 

Keith’s starting to feel like he’s being led on a string. Still he could have told Allura that Shiro was leader material.

 

As she describes the others, he can’t help but feel proud for Pidge. Frustrated, which based on her expression Allura also feels, with Lance. Confident in Hunk, even though the man in question clearly doesn’t feel that way himself.

 

He’s distracted thinking of his comrades when she announces that he will pilot the Red Lion, the fastest and most agile, but also most unstable of the group. His brain halts for a moment, and he looks at her, her expression is serene but, _you just told me I’m the paladin of your father’s lion._

 

She finishes off by telling them about Voltron, Shiro informs them who will be teaming up with who. Keith’s staying behind, which works for him, having access to the database of the actual Castle of Lions has him internally screaming.

****

 

 

The others leave with Coran telling them that the planets are peaceful enough for them live out the rest of their lives.

 

“Couldn’t you just reopen the wormhole?” If need be he’ll spare the Balmeran crystal that had been for his skimmer. That’ll be an awkward bit of explaining to do, or lying, lying sounds good.

 

Coran however smiles, “assuming the incoming cruiser doesn’t make it here to destroy us before the teladuv reboots then yes. You whipper snappers need to be kept on your toes.”

 

Keith laughs genuinely and completely, that’s exactly the type of joke Kolivan would make. “The guy who taught me strategy would totally pull that.”

 

Keith is pouring over everything about the Red Lion, which is on board Sendak’s flagship, _okay, I would have liked to know that bit of info, KOLIVAN._

 

Okay sure the Blade’s information network while brilliant isn’t omniscient but still, this is the Red freaking Lion of Voltron.

 

“Problem, the Red Lion is on-board the Galra flagship heading right for us, and Coran your calculations are a wee off, considering we have about thirty doboshes before it arrives.”

 

“Uh, well finger counting is a bit more of an art then a science.”

 

Keith is unimpressed.

****

 

 

The others arrive just in time for Sendak’s posturing, leading to an argument about what to do, “the Galra will just keep destroying planets until they get the lions,” Pidge supplies.

 

Keith adds his two cents, “Sendak found us once, if we escape he’ll just destroy Arus and come after us.”

 

It’s then Coran reveals that Alfor’s memories were stored as an AI, as much as Keith wants to meet his predecessor. He won’t intrude, this is the princess’ moment.

****

 

 

She comes out dressed as a warrior, dressed to honor the fallen dead, Keith offers a small prayer of his own to his Ancestors.

 

She introduces them to the armor.

 

“Are you sure about this? They aren’t exactly the universe’s best and brightest.” _O_ _kay maybe Coran has a point in his comment about_ _ou_ _r abilities but, rude._

 

“The Bayard is the traditional weapon of the Paladins, it takes a distinct shape for each.”

 

Keith mentally notes to practice fighting with two swords.

 

“Aw you got a cute little bayard.” Lance coos.

 

 _RIP Lance,_ Keith chuckles, as Pidge shocks him.

 

“Yeah it is pretty cute.”

 

“Shiro, I’m afraid your bayard was lost with it’s Paladin.”

 

_Okay, I am officially not the only liar on the team, I feel a little vindicated now._

 

“How am I supposed to find the lion?”

 

The way the others describe their connection, Keith realizes something. It’s startling enough that he doesn’t even bother responding to Lance’s taunt.

****

 

 

The plan has Lance and Hunk acting as decoys while attempting to take out the Ion Canon.

 

Once they’re in Shiro’s memories of his capture return and Pidge reveals that Commander Holt is her father, “I’m not going to give up looking when I’m this close!”

 

“Wait, Katie?!” Shiro gasps.

 

Pidge and Keith exchange ‘the look’ “I’m really disappointed in him right now.”

 

“Me too, I mean, Iverson I get but you look like mini-Matt.”

 

“I know and it suuuuuucks” Pidge wails.

 

Shiro slaps his hand into his face, “I really should have seen through that.”

 

They pat him on the shoulder, Katie smiles, “yes you should have.”

 

“we still love you big guy,” Keith finishes.

 

“So change of plans,” Shiro announces, “Pidge and I will make for the prisoner bay, Keith you go for the lion.”

 

Keith looks nervous for a moment, “don’t worry, you’ll do fine, remember patience yields focus.”

 

Keith smiles and they take off in different directions.

 

Once he’s out of sight of the others Keith removes his helmet and lets his change overcome him.

 

“Sentry! We are under attack by the Blue and Yellow Lions of Voltron, Sendak has ordered that we ensure the Red Lion is secure.” The robots nod, and escort him to the bay doors, he focuses, and there it is, the thing he’s felt his whole life the presence calling to him.

 

“You’ve always been with me haven’t you?” He says to the doors, he pulls out his bayard and blade, two swords impaling the sentries.

 

He slashes the controls to the door as they close.

 

The lion, despite being with him his whole life is still difficult and requires him almost spending his last moments in the vacuum of space to awaken.

****

 

 

The Lion is better than anything he’s ever piloted, it’s amazing, he’s always been able to move ships like he moves his body people have told him. For the first time in his life, it feels like that’s exactly what he’s doing.

****

 

 

Surrounded by sentries before the escape pods Shiro’s over come by pain, images flash before his eyes, the arm, the construction, the blinding pain. The hate, the pure overwhelming hatred, united between him and the monster they’re forcing into his body.

 

Overcome by the memory he lays waste to the sentries with cold and terrible efficiency.

****

 

 

Hunk informs them that the canon is offline.

****

 

 

The Lions assembled opens the door to the Black Lion, and to Voltron. Not a moment too soon because Sendak and his frigates are entering the atmosphere.

****

 

 

The castle’s barrier is faltering under the onslaught, Shiro rallies them to him, Hunk asks if they’re all nodding. Keith smiles, there’s something about this, all the Paladins, all his friends, his pride, being the Paladins with who they are so completely on display.

****

 

Even if they aren’t combining the thrill of battle, of the hunt sings in both of them. Until Hunk runs into them. Following Shiro’s lead though it clicks, they fly towards the dreadnought.

 

It’s not like being surrounded by red, he is red, and she is him. They are simply two containers for the same being. He feels another presence older then he with them. Guiding his hand to the controls needed, to form Voltron. Sendak’s ship is laid to waste.

****

 

 

“The war is only just begun, and you’ll have to form Voltron again and again.” Keith’s having trouble figuring out if Coran is really that bad at reading the room.

****

 

 

Eventually though he and Pidge are able to walk around the area by themselves.

 

“You had other questions?”

 

“Okay so first, you grew up out here, with all this right? This was your everyday?”

 

Keith laughs, “no our everyday was living our lives, not too different from the Garrison, but people like Iverson never ended up in any real position of power. No if there was any battle it was usually us hiding and hoping we haven’t been made. If we were lucky we’d manage an assassination, sabotage, you’d be surprised how much damage one loose screw can cause.”

 

“Okay, but like the sci-fi bits, traveling to galaxies far far away in the blink of an eye.”

 

“Sorry Pidge, hyperdrive isn’t that efficient, the castle here is probably the last real use of wormhole technology left in the universe.”

 

“Wait, does that mean...”

 

Keith smiles, “yep, the Castle’s a ship according to the legends, pretend to be shocked when you find out.”

 

Pidge is too busy looking at the castle with raw glee.

 

“By the way, what had you so pissed when we found the Blue Lion? Isn’t it what you wanted?”

 

“Nothing,” Keith tries to say.

 

“Bullshit, you said no more lies Kogane.”

 

“It’s embarrassing okay?”

 

“My mom told you about my middle school years.”

 

Kieth sighs, “okay so waay back when my dad first told me the legend of Voltron I kinda said I’d learn to be the best pilot so I could find it and stop the empire.”

 

Pidge giggles, “aw, that’s cute.”

 

“It’s embarrassing, more so since Lance fucking McClain is the Blue Paladin.”

 

Pidge raises a brow, “remember what Allura said? The lions choose their paladins Pidge, that Lance was able to operate Blue at all means he’s the paladin.”

 

Pidge nods, “ah, which means lil baby Keith’s dream might have just been snatched by the guy who goes out of his way to try and make your life hell.” She grins because she’s an Ancestors damned menace.

 

“Katie, I swear to Hazar the Uniter first of my House if you breathe a word of this to Lance I will end you.”

 

Pidge makes an offended noise, “I wouldn’t tell Lance I’m not that evil.”

 

_There’s a but in there somewhere._

 

“Shiro on the other hand.”

 

“I will tell the whole team about Matt’s tenth birthday Katie.”

 

Pidge blanches, “oh my god, he told you about that?! Well now I have to rescue him, he needs to die for this.”

 

They share a laugh and easy moment when Pidge grins at him, “soooo, you’re half alien right?”

 

The mood goes cold, “oh come on, don’t be like that I’m not gonna judge! You helped us get out here, you helped take out Sendak. I’ve known you for years Keith, have I treated you any differently?”

 

Keith shakes his head, “you’ve been more distant, but I get it, I lied to you about a serious thing.”

 

Pidge sighs and looks at him, “Keith listen, I don’t like it, but I get it, and it’s not like you really had a way to prove you weren’t just insane.”

 

Keith groans into his arms, “actually I do, I can look human, but I can also look, different.” Is all he says, but it comes out sad and quiet.

 

“Keith, is it important that you keep it from me?”

  
“Knowing what I am wont get you killed it’s just, if I show you, you have to promise me, promise, you wont breathe a word of this to anyone.”

 

She looks at him “c-c’mon the others wont-”

 

“I’m serious,” he’s begging her, the sheer openness and vulnerability of his expression makes Pidge just want to say “okay, I get it, you’re part space slug and don’t want to say anything, no biggie.” Play it off like a joke.

 

What is said is, “I promise.”

 

Keith sighs and he shifts, he’s a little taller like this, purple and covered in fur, his eyes are different and _those are some serious claws oh boy._ He’s still Keith, but he’s also a Galra.

 

“Whoa, I guess I can see why you would have a complex about this.”

 

Keith laughs, there’s a rumble to it, like a growl. Looking at him, it’s like seeing a whole new Keith, still Keith but with all his expressions on display. Like before now Keith had an almost constant poker face. The ears alone show a wide array of conflicting emotions, starting off flat against his head in what’s probably fear, turning towards her when she speaks, to flicking up with his laugh.

 

“It gets even better you know? King Alfor, Allura’s dad, he was the OG Red Paladin.”

 

Pidge sucks in a breath, “okay, yeah, this might be better kept until we’re all comfortable with each other.”


	3. Rise of Voltron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew has to learn to come together, to form Voltron, and to fight as a unit, a foe from Shiro's forgotten past, and Keith takes a risk to try and find a connection to his role.

Keith’s looking at the holo display of his personal computer cycling through the scan of his birth mother and father, the physical copy stays with Thace in his room. There’s photos of Antok training him, he and Regris, his dads, even Kolivan. Then the alarms go off and he locks it down running for the bridge.

 

Eventually everyone makes it, except Lance, apparently it was a drill, Allura berates them for being unprepared with only Shiro in uniform. Though based on the dark circles under the older man’s eyes, he just didn’t sleep, or, more likely was woken by nightmares.

 

“You don’t even have your bayards!” Allura grouses.

 

Keith just flips his blade, “I’m not used to the bayard yet, but I’m never unarmed.”

 

It’s true even if his blade is lost he has his claws, though he’ll never tell her that.

 

“You think a knife will stop Zarkon?” She glares at him.

 

Not a knife, luxite, made to repel foreign quintessence, mined on a planet destroyed by the Druids, forged to destroy them.

 

He just nods slightly, “right, sorry.”

 

Lance walks in looking refreshed, Keith hates him a little, and based on the faces around him the feeling is mutual.

 

“Listen Monday I was on earth, then I flew through space in a robot cat, fought an evil dude named Zarkon, then ate some goo in a castle.” Hunk sounds exhausted, which he probably is, “and now it’s?”

 

Coran smiles “the third quintent of the movement!”

 

“Wednesday,” Keith replies dry as dust.

 

“Right you all did well to defeat Sendak yesterday but you need to learn to form Voltron at a moment’s notice.” Allura’s tone brooks no argument.

 

“Wait I want to ask the prisoners we rescued about my family” Pidge cuts in.

 

“No can do number five, I have you ranked by height,” Coran says, and Pidge growls at him.

 

“They need to stay in the healing pods until tomorrow.”

 

On their way out Keith smirks at Pidge, “so this the Star Wars space adventure you were expecting?”

 

“Ugh, not one more word Keith, the first lead I have and it’s this...”

****

 

 

The flight test is, fine, any opportunity to pilot the Lion is a good thing as far as Keith’s concerned. Having to stay in formation when their instincts are telling them to surge ahead is less good.

 

Allura apparently gets the bright idea to test the castle’s defenses and use the “heat of battle” to inspire them.

 

Keith’s relatively sure that Allura and Coran are going to get him killed instead of the Empire.

****

 

 

Eventually they managed to make it inside, not by forming Voltron but through luck, and Coran’s testing of the fire suppressant systems. Keith is giving Hunk a rundown of words for the passage of time, claiming he found it while he was doing some research while they were retrieving their lions yesterday.

 

Lance is looming over Hunk’s shoulder absorbing it without having to risk his pride by asking Keith himself.

  
Pidge already got the rundown so he’s unconcerned with her.

****

 

 

The drone training goes better since Keith’s used to relying on himself, he, Shiro, and Lance are the last one’s standing, Lance jumps and Keith sidesteps a blast that would have taken him out. “Lance you can’t just save your own skin, be aware of your feet first, they’re what move the rest of you.”

 

He’s parroting what he remembers Antok telling him almost ten years back when he started hand to hand.

 

Lance doesn’t watch his feet, he and Shiro make it for another few minutes but eventually they too fall

****

 

 

Any camaraderie he and Lance developed is immediately squandered by the maze, between Lance decidedly not wanting to follow instructions and Keith having difficulty measuring his stride the whole thing ends badly.

****

 

 

The blind flight actually goes well, Coran had said this isn’t something to attempt until you’ve been flying for years, Keith has been flying for years.

 

Lance tries to race him, Keith holds back and actually manages the drag the Blue Paladin alongside Shiro who’s lead he follows. With Pidge following them. Hunk broke off early on, his anxiety getting the better of him.

 

Excellent work Paladins!

****

 

 

The mind test is almost a success, Keith uses techniques Kolivan taught him to resist the Druids to roll the memories he wants hidden away from the group. He tries to help Pidge do the same but when Voltron is almost formed both he and Pidge feel the other three at the edge of their deeper being and it falls apart. Keith and Pidge immediately shutting the team out on instinct.

 

“Sorry,” Keith says, “I think we’re all just, tired.”

 

Based on her reaction, Pidge is fed up.

 

Shiro eyes the two of them as do the rest of the team, “alright lets take a break.”

 

Allura doesn’t want to hear any of it, and Keith’s starting to loathe her, myths or not.

 

“It’s time you faced the gladiator.”

 

Keith and Pidge move together since Keith’s gone out of his way to spar together whenever they could.

 

Keith draws his bayard and his blade, using it to deflect the gladiator’s staff. What surprises him is having to come to Shiro’s rescue when he freezes up.

 

Scissoring the staff between his blade and bayard. The expression on Shiro’s face, lost and hopeless enrages Keith, his blade transforms and the weapon shears through the quintessence holding the gladiator together.

 

Luckily Lance and Hunk are on the ground and don’t notice. Allura seems somewhat pleased, though she admonishes everyone for failing to a setting fit for a child.

 

It’s not, Keith knows that well enough, and now he’s starting to question what her game actually is. He also doesn’t fail to miss the look Coran gives his blade which he put back into it’s inert form almost as soon as it awakened.

****

 

 

The dinner exercise devolves into a food fight that, Keith realizes once he and Lance agree in the face of Allura’s criticism was the goal, creating a common enemy for them.  


Keith smiles at her and shakes his head, she’s smart and observant he’s going to need to be careful.

 

They manage to form Voltron.

 

Hunk’s speech about brotherhood, accompanied by a hug Keith wishes he could enjoy, ends with a meaningful glance shared between Pidge, Keith, and Shiro.

 

Though Pidge gives him a look at the “no secrets” part of the speech that causes him to look away.

 

After the rest of the group leaves and Shiro gives a word of encouragement Keith and Pidge are left alone.

 

“I’m screwed,” Keith flops backward, Pidge pats his head.

 

“Yep.”

*****

 

 

The next day of training is, not so good.

 

Lance wanted to kick a broken fighter, so he did, and Hunk not ready for the shift in weight doesn’t stabilize in time. They fall.

 

They’re still bickering about it by the time they get back to the castle causing Shiro to snap at both of them finally being fed up with it.

 

Coran shows off, a Rygnirath squig roast, which based on the smell, was fabricated, and fabricated overcooked. “Coran, I think that’s been overcooked...”

 

Hunk stares at Keith a minute and he shrinks slightly, “what? I had to have learned something from your food lectures right?”

 

Hunk grins, “finally someone listens to me.”

 

“Don’t expect me to start cooking, it’s really not my forte, you can just ask my dads.”

 

Hunk heaves a dejected sigh, “first person to actually absorb any of this and I have to ban him from the kitchen unsupervised.”

****

 

 

Keith considers tailing Shiro to make sure whatever those freed prisoners have to say about Shiro’s time in the arena doesn’t open old wounds.

 

Sighing, he realizes he may have meddled enough as is, Pidge is with him, and besides, there’s one person he _needs_ to see.

****

 

 

With Allura working on the boosters and Hunk trying to teach Coran something in the kitchen there may not be another opportunity.

 

The AI core; Keith breathes a sigh, “no time like the present.”

 

The holographic display, shows, what was probably an Altean setting and before him, a ghost, and a legend.

 

Or a monster if you believed the histories of the Empire.

 

“You are not Allura.”

 

“No,” he approaches and holds out his bayard. “I’m, I guess, your successor.”

 

Alfor looks surprised, “my understanding, from both Coran, and my daughter, was that none of you knew about the paladins of old.”

 

Keith sits down, “it’s a long story, I guess the gist of it is, I was born on Earth, the world the others are from, but that’s not where I grew up.”

 

Alfor’s hologram sits as well, “perhaps you should start from the beginning.”

 

Keith sighs, unsure how to react, and does just that.

 

“I was born on Earth, but when I was five I was sent to live with my mother’s family. Which is in a system outside the quadrant we’re currently in. I learned what I know there, language, fighting, piloting, navigation, strategy, medicine, and Voltron, everything that could be taught in the limited time we had. Then I was sent back to Earth to find the Lion before Zarkon. Now I’m here, I know what type of dangers we’re facing. Shiro only knows what he’s seen in a year of fragmented memories. Allura, she knows the war’s onset, not the systematic domination Zarkon’s been using since then.”

 

By the end he’s resting his head on his knees, miserable and waiting for the AI to alert Allura and Coran.

 

After a long while Alfor looks up, Keith holds his breath, terror pulsing inside him.

 

Then the ghost smiles, “if you know who I am, then would it be reasonable to assume you know of the others?”

 

Keith grumbles, “not as much as I’d like, Zarkon tends to take center stage depending on the version you hear. The Empire paints him as a beleaguered hero who tried to save his planet only to be betrayed by you and you turned the others against him. The version I grew up with painted him as someone who tried and failed to stop a disaster, that he died, and came back, but that he was irrecoverably, and terribly changed.”

 

Alfor looks hard at Keith for a moment, “there is truth to all of those, I did destroy Daibazaal, but I did so to try and save the Galra from a rift opened in the crust of the planet, one that destabilized it. Zarkon did try and close the rift with myself and the other Paladins, or so I thought, instead he tried to save his beloved from an illness, something I can’t fault in motive. His actions may have doomed us all though.”

 

“My dad, the doctor, he told me when I was very young not to wish for the dead to come back, because Zarkon came back and it poisoned him and everything he touched.”

 

“A grim reality, but true.”

 

“Do you;” Keith swallows, “do you hate the Galra for what they did?”

 

The simulation sighs, “no, Zarkon was once among my best friends and I was aided against him by many of his people who did not side with him. And clearly, still fight.” He gives Keith a meaningful look.

 

Keith’s heart catches for a moment, and he smiles himself, “sorry, but, the others, they don’t know.”

 

Alfor frowns, “I see, you know there cannot be any secrets between the paladins.”

 

“I know I’ll need to tell them, even if they ask me to leave, if they do, I’ll go.”

 

“The Red Lion chose you Keith, you cannot turn your back on that.”

 

“Even if your daughter refuses it? I wont ask her to watch while a part of the people who robbed her of her father takes his legacy.”

 

The alarms sound and Keith scowls, “go where you are needed, but I want you to remember Keith, It’s not my legacy, it’s the legacy of the Red Lion, you wield the bayard, you pilot the lion, you know this. Even I cannot tell you to abandon it.”

****

 

 

The alarm it turns out is the locals, who are, well, cute. Also alarmingly prone to self immolation as an act of religious castigation. And a tendency towards being very cuddly. Not that Keith actually minds, he’s had to play the loner for so long that being surrounded by a bunch of Arusians trying to get his attention has him purring.

 

Too bad nothing good lasts because that’s when one of Haggar’s Robeasts attacks. This one apparently using the same weapon and strategy that the former king of the Arena, Myzax, used.

  
Keith gets a sickening feeling that he knows who Haggar used to make this thing. One good thing to come of it though, he has a sword. Voltron destroys the beast and Keith sends a quick prayer that Myzax’s Ancestors are better to him then life was.

 

Keith watches Pidge and Shiro from the side lines, something happened between them. Whatever it was seems to have made their bond stronger though so it can only be counted a win.

 

On his way back in Coran ambushes him, “we’re having a party for the Arusians, why don’t you help me set up and whip up some nunvill!”

 

“Okay,” Keith responds, but dread creeps to his core, nunvill is, without exaggeration, the most vile ‘edible’ substance in the universe. One that will put Coran’s squig roast to shame.


	4. Fall of the Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sendak's attack on the castle.

Keith follows Coran into the kitchen where the two start filling glasses with the horrible substance. “You wanted to talk about something?” Keith asks.

 

“Not especially, I am curious about your blade, not your bayard of course, the other one, but mostly I just wanted some help with the nunvill. Hunk’s busy with the food, Lance has become surprisingly scarce and Pidge and Shiro seemed busy.”

 

“Yeah, if your curious about my blade you can just ask.”

 

“Alright, where’d you get it?”

 

“It was my mom’s.”

 

“I see, do you know where she got it?”

 

“I haven’t seen her since I was three.”

 

Coran falters a bit, Keith’s matter-of-fact tone likely taking him off guard.

 

“My apologies.”

 

“It was a long time ago, I have my dads so it’s not really something I think as much about anymore.”

 

“You mentioned, dads? Your father remarry then?”

 

“Ah; no, my biological father died a couple years, deca-phoebs after my mom left. I was raised by my uncle and his husband.” _And a whole base of rebels devoted to taking down Zarkon, something we might actually have a shot at now._

 

He’s smiling genuinely, despite the fabricator making something he would just as soon toss in the nearest black hole.

 

“You seem to care about them a great deal.”

 

“I do, I miss them, but I had to leave them a few years ago in order to help them out and learn what I could. I’ll admit it’s taken a weird turn but it’s still ultimately what I set out to do.”

 

He thinks for a moment frowning, “Lance and Hunk are probably the worst off right now.”

 

“How do ya figure?”

 

“Well, I had to leave my family years back, so I’m used to being far away from them, and not knowing when we’d see each other again. Shiro’s been out here a prisoner to the Galra, his family thinks he’s dead. Pidge is here to find his family. Lance and Hunk got to see there’s pretty often though, and Lance has a huge family, the castle probably seems big and very empty to him.”

 

“Mmm hmm” Coran tugs on his mustache, “you know I think I might just have everything here just about finished. You probably have more important things to do than indulge an old adviser.”

 

Keith blinks in surprise, “uh, I guess?”

****

 

 

Coran’s left wondering about Keith’s blade still, he couldn’t detect any lies from the boy, but that may mean nothing. His real curiosity being why Keith was in Alfor’s AI core, he’d asked his old friend but all Alfor would tell him was that Keith was “looking for guidance in his role.”

 

Then he’d smiled his infuriating aware of something no one else was smile and Coran knew he hadn’t been tampered with.

 

Still could it be possible that Keith knows who’s shoes he’s trying to fill? None of the other Paladins seem aware, no one batted an eye when Allura had omitted the fate of the black bayard.

 

Coran hums softly to himself, the new Paladins were shaping up to be just as difficult as the old. Hopefully they wouldn’t end the same.

****

 

 

Keith enters the upper hall to find Lance standing in his armor, leaning on a wall. “I would have thought you’d be first out for the party?”

 

Lance starts the rubs furiously at his face before turning with a cocky smile, “yeah well, you know, gotta save the main event for last. Can’t have the opening act outshining the rest of the performance.”

 

He hides it pretty well, there’s not a lot of redness, and if Keith weren’t able to smell the salt and distress he likely would never have known anything was wrong.

 

Still Keith decides to play along, “you’re right.”

 

Lance balks, “I am? I mean of course I am!”

 

“Yeah, we better tell Allura to hold back until we’re all out.”

 

Then the full meaning hits Lance.

  
“WHAT?!”

 

“Are you saying she’s not the grand finale? Magical space princess from a bygone era?”

 

“There’s no right answer for that.”

 

“Nope, but better than you denying it with her standing behind you.”

 

Lance whirls around distress changing to embarrassment and arousal. Until he sees the empty hall.

 

“My mistake.”

 

“Oh you are so dead Keith!” Lance charges at him and Keith laughs letting the other Paladin chase him out into the main hall.

 

“Keep up McClain, if you can’t do this on foot how do expect to in the lions?”

 

Circling the hall Keith dodges past Hunk carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres, Lance runs into the larger man and is knocked on his rear. Hunk manages to keep the tray stable.

 

“You were this close to wrecking three varga of prep work,” Hunk glares at them.

 

“Nice use of space wordage,” Keith says while helping Lance up.  
  
Lance pulls extra hard uses the momentum to get to his feet and pull Keith off his.

  
Training kicks in and Kieth rolls to his feet in a crouch.

 

“Geez you’re like a cat,” Lance says.

 

Hunk leans over, “nah, cats are cuddly.”

 

Keith frowns at him, “rude.”

 

“You’re really not though man.”

 

Internally Keith screams, because all his instincts tell him the reverse and he has to ignore them every quiznacking day.

****

 

 

About an hour into the party and they are watching a reenactment of their recent battle, Allura has the patience of the ancestors to treat it with solemnity.

 

“We should get that,” Hunk says, “you know, like a cheer.”

 

Keith makes a dubious face, the Blade emphasized stealth, and the Garrison exploration, the idea of a battle cheer is literally alien to him.

 

“Yeah, like I say Vol you say tron! Vol!”

 

Lance seems enthusiastic so Keith tries to respond appropriately. “Voltron?”

 

“No it includes the instructions, I say Vol you say?”

 

“Vol-tron?”

 

“We’ll work on it,” Lance says, before giving Keith the thing he’d been waiting for all night, the first person to take a long pull of nunvill.

 

Lance’s reaction was everything he’d hoped for and more.

 

“Coran what is this!”

 

“Nunvill the nectar of the gods!”

 

“It tastes like hotdog water and feet.”

 

“Ah yes, and it makes a great hair tonic.”

 

Hunk examines Lance who’s gone totally still.

  
Keith pokes him, and he just falls over.

 

“Are you actually having a bad reaction? Or are you just being a drama queen?” Keith asks, it’s a half-way serious question to. He’s never seen a full human try nunvill.

 

Either way Keith tosses his in a nearby shrub.

****

 

 

As the conversations wear on they turn to the topic of home.

 

Hunk’s surprisingly pessimistic, though realistic would likely be more accurate. Though his question about a nacho planet seems to indicate he’s taking it surprisingly well Lance however.

 

“Only where there’s a beach, pizza shack looking over the water, garlic knots… my mom’s hugs.”

 

Keith pats his back and offers what he hopes is an encouraging smile.

 

Lance jumps a little, Hunk looks at him, “you’re from a big family too right? How’re you holding up.”

 

“Better I think, I already knew that it would be a while before I’d see them.” He frowns, “not the most politically stable environment so there’s a chance I wont see some of them when I get home. But that’s it, I just think about it in terms of when, not ‘if’ and take it one day at a time. Whatever happens tomorrow will be dealt with when we can. Until then just deal with today.”

 

Lance smiles at him, “that was, weirdly helpful Keith.”

 

“Actually talking to Coran earlier helped. I think he’s been helping Allura deal too.”

 

“Yeah?” Lance sniffs a bit, “I think I need a bit of air excuse me.”

****

 

 

That’s when Pidge drops the bombshell, Keith tries to keep calm, tries to keep composed, but “really?!”

 

Pidge glares at him, “this is the entire universe, all our families! You think I wouldn’t try to help mine to!?”

 

_Of anyone who should know better, everyone who has seen me for who I am, anyone I trust!?_

 

Pidge looks about to speak when Shiro cuts in, “that’s not how a team works, we all have to want to be here.”

 

Keith storms off.

****

 

 

Keith does still ambush her outside the door, “I wont change my mind.”

 

“I know.”

 

“You can’t stop me.”

 

“I know.”

 

“I wont tell.”

 

Keith smiles in spite himself, “yeah, I was worried, but not what I’m here for.”

 

He pulls out his computer, “these are code frequencies, broadcast them in Galra territory, to anyone without a cipher they’ll look like nothing, but if there’s a Blade nearby they will find you.”

 

Pidge looks at him, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap or try and guilt you, but, it’s dangerous, really dangerous, especially if you’re on your own. So please, call for help if you need it Katie.”

 

He turns to leave and to his surprise she hugs him, “thanks.”

 

“I don’t approve. But, come back safe.”

 

“You sound like my mother.”

 

“Hey I’ve met your mother, if only I had her smarts.”

****

 

 

On his way back to the party an explosion rocks the castle and the lights go out.

 

The crystal is destroyed and Lance is seriously injured.

 

Additionally, the Arusian village is under attack.

 

_Quiznack._

 

“Hunk, I’ll need someone big to help me carry the crystal.” Corran says, they decide to make a quick trip to a nearby balmera.

 

“A balmera?”

 

“It’s where the crystals come from I’ll tell you about it on the way.”

 

“I’ll stabilize Lance.”

 

“I can ten-” Shiro starts when Keith gives him the look, one perfected by deca-phoebs of living with Ulaz.

 

“I’m the one who’s trained in medicine, and until the pods are back up and running I’m the best you’ve got.”

 

Shiro nods “I’ll go to the village then,” Allura steps up, “I brought this on the Arusians, I’m coming with you.”

****

 

 

Keith has Lance at the entrance where there’s more light to work with, this way he can work without needing to shift. That’s when he sees him, Sendak, and a small group of sentries.

 

“Quiznack.”

 

Summoning his bayard and blade, he rushes forward, “you aren’t taking another step.”

 

“Yes I am,” Sendak smiles viciously.

 

Keith smiles himself, “I wonder if you’ll have better luck than Mogor.”

 

Sendak narrows his eye, “how do you know that name?”

 

“Bludgeoning someone’s face into a pulp and blowing up their flagship leaves an impression.”

 

Sendak snarls and rushes him, Keith uses his training to keep out of the way, it’s hard, Sendak’s Druidic arm is full of tricks and insanely versatile. “Why’re you so mad? I heard you were planning on offing the old man to take House Balor yourself. Shouldn’t you be thanking me for making your life easier?”

 

“You fight like a Galra,” Sendak says deflecting a bayard strike and evading the luxite blade.

 

“You fight like a Drule toy, or is that arm pure Druid?” Keith replies, rolling past a strike and bracing with his blades. Sendak’s too cautious to hit the luxite.

 

“You are knowledgeable, are you trying to give me a heart attack perhaps?”

 

“Worked on your dreg of a father.”

 

“I had more than just my arm worked on by the Druids, and my stamina far outweighs an inferior species like yours.”

 

It turns out it doesn’t matter, since Sendak’s sub-commander has a gun to Lance’s head.

 

“This was duel!”

 

“Honor is afforded to Galra, not inferior beings.”

 

Keith puts his hands up only to be decked in the face.

****

 

 

Pidge having seen the whole fight stays hidden and makes her way down to the turbine and begins sabotaging it, “I really should have asked Keith if he knew Altean.”

 

She takes her bayard and slashes the engine controls.

****

 

 

Moving through the vents is much easier for her than any of the others, unfortunately the sentries appear to be flexible enough to do the same. She still manages to get dinged in the back, the feedback from her jet pack short circuiting also cuts her communications.

 

She manages to take down the sentry chasing her, and with Rover’s timely assistance not die in the process.

****

 

 

Keith has been a prisoner like this before, and it’s not hard to be ready to move, he shuts out everything ready to move when he needs.

****

 

 

The main drive core is easy, since the Galra using it has to break in himself Pidge just piggy backs off him and uses his own commands to overload it.

 

Grabbing Rover to avoid the shock wave. It takes out the last sentry and seemingly the Galra.

 

“You, a child has been causing all this grief?”

 

“I’m not a child, I’m a paladin of Voltron.”

 

“And I am a Galra soldier, nothing stops me save victory, or death.” There’s an air solemnity to the proclamation followed by a salute and charge.

 

Pidge dodges the weapon and manages to flank him delivering a series of blows herself, however it’s Rover that deals the final blow. Shutting down and being carried into the engine core with him in the process.

 

It’s like losing Bae Bae if she’s being honest. She has to wipe some tears from her eyes as she moves on.

 

Not before Sendak has a word apparently “Where’s Haxus?”

 

“Gone, and your next” she snarls.

 

“You will turn yourself over immediately, if you don’t your little Blade friend will not make it.”

 

“Pidge, stay- Auugh.”

 

Time to rescue her damsel in distress.

****

 

 

Tricking Sendak is easy enough she moves in, “knife” is all Keith can manage. Luckily Pidge understands and grabs his blade.

 

There’s an alert, the particle barrier shutting down.

 

Sendak grabs Pidge from behind, “did you really think you could stop me with that little hologram trick.”

 

Keith’s mind races, he’s almost through his bonds but Sendak will kill Pidge.

 

That’s when Lance takes the shot wounding Sendak and allowing Keith to strike when he drops Pidge.

 

The two of them lure him into a strike and disrupt the energy field of his arm severing it.

 

Sendak still has a trick of his own, even without the arm. Hooking one leg to the cables he unplugs the crystal from the system plunging the room into darkness.

 

“Too bad, unlike your species, the Galra have excellent night vision.”

 

He can hear Pidge’s grunt of pain as Sendak delivers a blow.

 

The interior becomes muted in tones of gray and black but Keith lunges, plunging his blade in Sendak’s chest. “Yeah we do.”

 

“Half-breed!?” Sendak chokes before Keith rips his bayard from Sendak’s belt and slams it through his throat.

 

He goes to check on Lance first, “you alright?”

 

Lance just kind of nods blearily, “yeah, we do make a good team.” He grabs Keith’s arm and Keith flinches. Lance just slurs the word ‘fuzzy’ before passing out again.

 

He moves over to Pidge, bruising but nothing critical, she’s braced on a nearby console. “I came to rescue you.”

 

Keith smirks she can’t see it but she can hear it in his response, “aren’t you a little short for a Paladin?”

 

She smiles, “Hey Keith, fuck you.”

 

“How about you walk me through getting auxiliary lighting online? Uh, just give me a heads up before they come on, I’m wearing more of my mom’s features than my dad’s.”


	5. Saving Shay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To the Balmera doot da doot!

Waiting for Lance to wake is a pain, a pain that results in an entertaining race to compare ticks to seconds. Keith would mock but he did the exact same thing when he first arrived on Earth so he decides to hang back and watch.

 

Lance stumbles out of the pod, Keith brace’s his arms “what’d I miss a clock party?”

 

“Lance! You indeed missed a great deal, we can discuss it while you get some food,” Allura says clearly still worried.

 

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

 

“He’s fine,” everyone deadpans and Keith lets go of his shoulders letting him sag forward.

 

“You did that on purpose!”

  
“Yes, if you’re well enough to flirt your well enough to walk.”

****

 

 

“You really do have Pidge to thank for your freedom.”

 

“Yeah, thanks man, sounds like the mice did more than hostage boy over here though.”

 

“I saved you from bleeding out. I held you in my arms. It was a real bonding moment.”

 

“Not ringing any bells.”

 

_Well I guess that means the fuzzy remark can go unremembered by everyone. I have no issues with this._

 

Lance looks around the table, “what happened to Sendak?”

 

The table looks at Keith, Lance looks around then at Keith too.

 

“Dead,” he says, he’s not sorry either, Sendak was a vicious brutal Commander and if he has to pick between pride and enemy it’s no contest.

 

“Whoa, Keith that’s kinda brutal don’t you think?”

 

Keith stares Hunk down, “this is war, you can’t avoid casualties and here’s the thing, it’s usually kill or be killed. How many do you think are going to be on those cruisers we fight? Sendak’s ship was mostly sentries, maybe there were other people. None of us will be bloodless before the end of this, possibly none of us are already.”

 

Coran speaks next, “much as I hate to admit it, Keith’s right, we wont be able to avoid bloodshed the Galra certainly wont.”

 

Hunk takes a breath and lets it out, “I know, and I know we need to get back to save Shay and her people.”

 

“Wow, you are hung up on this chick.”

 

“It’s not like that, guys, these people have been under Zarkon’s thumb for so long they don’t even know what freedom is, this is what being a Paladin of Voltron is about. We have to man up.”

 

“Then lets get moving,” Shiro states.

 

Pidge holds them back, “Wait you guys, I have to come clean, and this may change the way you all think about me but. I can’t man up, I’m a girl. Well I mean I can man up it’s an expression, I just have to be tough but-”

 

“Wha- wait, what?! You’re a girl!?” Lance is shocked.

 

Allura smiles broadly, “I’ve known for some time now.”

 

Shiro rubs the back of his head, “sorry it took so long for me to get it.”

 

Hunk scratches his chin, “I kinda suspected when I read your diary.”

 

Pidge smiles at him, it’s the smile Keith has started to think of as her ‘Galra smile’ “I do still need to thank you for doing that.”

 

Hunk shrinks, “or we could get the castle off this rock.”

 

“I can do both.”

 

“Wait Pidge is a girl and the castle is a ship? How long have I been out.”

 

As they boot up Hunk points to Keith and Pidge, “so I guess that means being two guys isn’t why you two were keeping it under wraps?”

 

Keith and Pidge stare at him, “what?” They ask in unison.

 

“Well I mean, between the in jokes, the meaningful glances, then there was that thing during the mind meld. I figured Pidge keeping her identity under wraps was why you guys have been coy about it.”

 

Keith frowns, “Hunk, we’re friends, good friends, but not.”

 

“NO! Ew! No offense Keith.”

 

“None taken.”

 

“Wait then what’s with, the like looks and stuff?” Hunk’s very confused.

  
“You think I wouldn’t recognize my friend because she cut her hair?”

 

“Also it’s just been like emotional support stuff. We’ve all got things that are hard to talk about. So it’s been a being there for each other thing.” Then realizing how _that_ sounds, “in a platonic kind of way because, uh, no, not interested in that what so ever.”

 

“At least until you find a cute robot right?” Because Keith has to pick up Matt’s slack somehow.  


“Alright, now I have to plan bloody retribution on you and Hunk.”

****

 

 

Thace holds his salute, in the deca-phoebs he’s served under him, Prorok has become increasingly reliant on his Hazar sub-commander.

 

“The witch has his ear, send our offer to any of the scum between Arus and Balmera X95-Vox. Voltron will be my prize.”

****

 

 

Hunk’s agitated, “so do we go in blasting or make an announcement?”

 

“Hunk, calm down, and yes blasting, we’re still green enough we need the element of surprise.”

 

Shiro puts a hand on Keith’s shoulder, “he’s just excited for our first rescue mission.”

 

“Excited to see his girlfriend,” Pidge teases.

 

“Auh,” Hunk makes an offended gasp, “she’s not my girlfriend, she’s a rock I met and admire very much.”

 

The alarms go off signaling a distress beacon, Keith takes the opportunity to pat Hunk on the shoulder, “if you two do end up hitting it off don’t worry about any of us man. Anyone makes a snide remark you tell me I’ll deck em for you.”

 

“There’s a ship out of power nearby.”

 

“We’ll just have to come back for them Shay takes priority!”

 

Allura cuts the argument off, “the Paladin Code states we help all those in need. Coran set a course.”

 

Hunk pouts but Lance looks excited, “it’s like we’re space cops, do we have a siren?”

 

Coran looks at him, “no but we could broadcast you making a siren noise.”

 

“Perfect”

 

Before Lance can get so much as a peep Shiro smacks his hand over Lance’s mouth, “nope not doing that.”

  
There are few times Keith has been so grateful to the older man.

 

“Ugh, Lance” Shiro rips his hand away to reveal Lance’s tongue still trailing a small amount of spit.

****

 

 

The team goes to investigate while Coran stays behind to continue purging the castle systems.

 

Keith still can’t help but feel uneasy, _I hope none of the systems are permanently corrupted._

 

Turns out they’re resistance, not ones Keith has heard of but that’s not surprising the resistance and Blade tend to be wary of each other.

 

“I’m Rolo, this is Nyma, and our cyberunit Beezer.”

 

Lance enters immediate flirt mode, because why should the core of his greeting change because he’s in space? Or a Paladin.

 

Pidge shows that no matter how Matt or Keith tease her, her own reactions will never change, “cool robot.”

 

It’s all she says but she’s all over the lil guy poking prodding, playing with the ears, Keith has sympathy of the last one remembering her reaction to the first time seeing his ears in Galra form.

 

Keith raises an eyebrow at Hunk, and mouths “told you.”

 

Allura introduces them as the Paladins of Voltron, and Rolo looks unimpressed, though with two of the Paladins fawning over his crew that’s not too surprising.

 

Hunk clearly just wants to get it over with, he’s also clearly mistrustful.

 

“Hunk! There’s no need to be rude,” Allura is shocked.

 

“Yeah, man there are ladies present!”

 

“Oh, uh sorry but does anyone remember what happened last time our defenses were down? Someone set off a bomb, and you almost died.”

  
Lance wilts, “oh yeah.”

 

Pidge looks about to say something but Keith shakes his head.

 

“Hunk’s right we have to be cautious” Shiro steps in Keith give Hunk a nod that shows his approval.

 

“No worries, I don’t take it personal.”

 

If they are rebels then they should know exactly how important discretion is.

****

 

 

Rolo shows his prosthetic, bonding with Shiro over what the Galra stole from them.

 

Keith watches the whole thing with detached cynicism. His training under Kolivan has taught him to be wary of anyone. Even those who seem on the up and up.

 

Rolo gives a brief rundown of the Empire as the average person understands it, “this is the territory of a nasty bugger named Sendak.”

 

“We’ve met,” Keith says coldly, and the group shoots a glance.

  
Mentally he tries to consider who will take Balor with Sendak gone and how long it will take them to figure it out.

 

There’s also the chance that there will be a power vacuum and for the first time since the fall of Daibazaal one of the Lower Houses might be able to rise and replace Balor.

 

He makes a note to discuss how to bring the topic up without tipping his hand to Pidge next time she’s not so… Distracted.

 

Hunk and Shiro argue about trusting Rolo, “sorry Shiro, I’m with Hunk on this one, if they are insurgents why would they be so trusting of us?”

****

 

 

Evidently Lance isn’t so pragmatic, “I hope he’s not getting himself into trouble” Keith looks coldly at the Lion overhead.

****

 

 

This is proven right when Lance calls for help.

 

Hunk goes on a bit of a rant, “Hunk yes you’re vindicated, you were right, CHILL!”

****

 

 

Rolo ducks into the Zolar asteroid belt, Keith smiles, remembering the time spent on Thace’s lap in this part of the simulator, and later himself in the cockpit for the real thing.

 

While the others halt Keith dives into it, “I got this.”

 

The Lion’s more responsive than the ships he learned on, able to scale the surfaces of the asteroids.

 

Keith almost feels sorry for them.

 

Almost.

 

The blasters make it a slight challenge, but Keith responds in turn.

****

 

 

“This kid can flat out fly,” Rolo smiles. “But we have home court advantage.”

 

He loops back around in a fake out.

 

Once they’re clear he puts his hands behind his head.

 

“That’s how you do that.”

 

The ship rumbles as a shot hits them, “weapons offline!”

 

A second hits them, “starboard engine out.”

 

“I grew up on this stretch of flight buddy, you think a trick like that’s gonna get me?” Comes in over the communicator.

 

Rolo sighs defeated, “not quite the advantage I thought huh?”

****

 

 

About two vargas later everyone’s back on the ship. Keith’s hanging back watching what starts as a strategy meeting and devolves into everyone trying to decide on what the appropriate noise of laser fire is.

 

Keith and Pidge both burst out laughing at Shiro’s attempt to diffuse turning into his own attempt. It’s such a dorky “cool” dad moment.

 

“I’m getting you a dad sweater for your birthday Shiro, I hope you know that.” Pidge leans on a console smirking.

 

“PALADINS FOCUS!” Allura shouts completely done.

 

“We can’t just go in shooting, the Balmera’s alive and it’s not in good shape, we can’t risk hurting it further,” Hunk’s reply is surprisingly empathetic.

 

“Hunk’s right, it’s monstrous what the Galra have done to it” Coran’s reviewing the bio-scan of the Balmera.

 

“What if we attack the mining equipment on the surface to lure them out?” Hunk suggests.

 

Keith frowns, “that still wouldn’t tell us how many are left in the tunnels.”

 

Allura suggests scanning with technology that sounds Greek to Keith but Pidge refers to as BLIP tech. Which, apparently Pidge is going to do because she’s managed to modify her lion with cloaking.

 

“Pidge, let me get this straight, you modified an ancient super advanced magic-science lion, with cloaking. I don’t think we’ve been out here for more than a month” Shiro says.

 

“Shiro, Pidge is crazy smart, you know that” Lance says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Which yeah it kind of is.

 

“Also based on those pod modifactions, crazy crazy but we don’t need to talk about that.” Hunk says earning him a slap on the shoulder.

 

“You’ll need to take out their main power generator and the surface to air cannon defending it.” Coran pulls up an image of their target.

 

“Well we have a plan, let’s get moving.”

****

 

 

“Do you think we’ll get a parade when this is over?” Lance asks.

 

“Lance this isn’t about glory. besides, until we know more about what our lions and Voltron can do we need to stick with hit and run tactics. Unless you want a fleet of Galra dreadnoughts breathing down our necks.” Keith responds carefully surveying the layout below them. It’s suspiciously quiet.

 

“Pinpoint only the installations damage to the surface is damage to the Balmera.”

 

After firing at the installation and doing relatively little damage Shiro curses quietly. “How am I supposed to take this out?”

 

_The void has little substance yet it cuts like steel._

 

His display reveals a jaw-blade weapon, “that works.”

 

Pidge makes her rounds while the battle rages.

 

Keith can feel the fire in his veins, it’s burning him from the inside, it screams for an outlet and an outlet he gets in the form of a beam that’s like an industrial plasma cutter amped up to eleven then given steroids.

 

“Nice, I got fire power.”

 

The cannon starts to collapse, “watch out we can’t let that hit the Balmera!” Hunk shouts trying to hold the cannon up.

 

Lance’s lion fires a beam of energy that ices over the structure in a huge glacier. “These rays are super cool just like me.”

 

“That was a Shiro joke” Keith smirks.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Can it fire power” Lance retorts.

 

“Maybe I like Shiro jokes?” Keith teases back.

 

Shiro is very glad that he’s not on video because his face has turned extremely red. Then he notices, there’s no response. “Shouldn’t there be some kind of force coming to meet us?” His voice is tense with wary suspicion.

 

“There’s a hanger of fighters below the surface, we need them taken out before they can launch.” Allura commands, Shiro sighs.

 

“Looks like we have no choice, they’re luring us down, be ready for a trap. Hunk, Pidge, you’re with me, we’re going to free the Balmerans. Comedians, you two can take the hanger and spare the rest of us.”

 

Keith and Lance both frown but the other three already take off, “real professional Shiro.”

****

 

 

“How’re we supposed to get through this? There are only a few sentries but enough to start a firefight.”

 

Lance smirks, “We could sneak into the command tower and shut the bay doors, trapping the fighters inside.”

 

“That’s… actually a good idea.”

 

The sneak in works well but Lance is at a loss for working the controls, which doesn’t matter since he has neither Galra tech nor genes to interface with.

 

Keith looks once, then puts his hand on the main control closing the door. “How’d you do that?”

 

 _I can read Galra and have enough Galra genes to work the tech,_ “I put my hand on the big hand print.”

 

Lance frowns at him.

****

 

 

Hunk creeps past the guards in the inner chambers, “this is too easy.”

 

“Where’s Shay?”

 

Her brother glares at him, “you have brought us nothing but suffering, she was taken to the core of the Balmera. She may already be dead.”

 

“The Galra troops are moving towards the center.” Allura informs them.

 

“I don’t like it” Shiro echos their thoughts.

 

Pidge manages to save a couple Balmeran kids, but not from the Galra, “guys the Balmera’s become really unstable watch your footing.”

 

There’s a fire fight with some sentries, “Dammit we can’t risk shooting back or we’ll hurt the Balmera.”

 

Then he notices something, tries to signal it to Keith but, “those are not the Garrison signals I learned.”

 

Then he notices the catwalk, gestures behind him and clams the ladder.  
  
Lance sighs, and acts as a distraction, which mostly means stand there and hope your shield doesn’t fail while you get shot to hell.

 

Keith leaps down with both swords out and in a series of dance-like movements cuts the sentries to ribbons.

 

“Lets move.”

 

“Where’d you get that other sword, it’s like a light saber I want a one.”

 

Keith chooses to ignore Lance.

****

 

 

Lo and behold, it’s a trap. Rolo managed to tip off the fleet apparently.

 

“Wait maybe Allura can come get us?”

 

Not something that can happen, “we’ve been ambushed by the Galra and are under heavy fire.”

 

“The others may be able to help us.” Shay places her hand on the ground and communicates with the other Balmerans.

 

“Paladins, the fighters are making for the Lions, and now a dreadnought has jumped from hyperdrive, we can’t take a hit from the ion cannon.”

 

Luckily the other Balmerans arrive just in time.

 

They each cut their fighters apart, each of the lions working as a pride, singing the pounding warsong of the hunt.

 

Voltron is able to save the castle ship who’s counter attack obliterates the ship and fleet.

 

No rest for the righteous though, a robeast coffin crashes into the surface just as they’re celebrating.


	6. Purging the Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little throwback to Exile, and the loss of a mentor.

Keith prepares the sword and shield, worried about what’s in there.

 

“If it’s the same as last time we know how to beat it,” Shiro is trying for confident, it rings hollow.

 

_It wont be, they never are, they are as different as the lives stolen to make them._

 

The coffin slowly manages to unfold itself to reveal a robeast monstrosity decorated in eyes. Which, okay Keith doesn’t want to think about what kind of nightmare Haggar decided to turn into a dead husk to make this thing.

 

The “made of lasers” thing makes fighting it while trying to avoid hitting the Balmera one of the most difficult fights he’s been involved in. The castle hast to retreat to orbit and the lions to the mines.

 

Shay runs up to meet them and Keith’s starting to realize this is the first time he’s actually met the Balmeran. “How can we stand against something like that? Zarkon’s savagery knows no bounds.”

 

“Don’t worry Shay, we’ll beat it just like the last one, right Keith?” Hunk’s trying to console her but Keith’s at a loss.

 

“Can we?”

 

“Yes, we can, we just need to think of a strategy, something that gives us an advantage against it.” Shiro comes to the rescue with a pep talk.

 

Too bad the Balmera is dying around them the longer they wait.

 

They have to evacuate the Balmerans, “we’ll engage the beast while the castle is used to evacuate the Balmerans. We have to provoke and evade.”

 

“See I’m worried we’ll be really good at the first part, not so good at the second. But” Hunk sighs looking over the assembled Balmerans, “if that’s what it takes to save Shay and her people then that’s what we do.”

 

“Will we be able to contact all the other Balmerans?”

 

“I can, we know not what they will say, this is unheard of, to leave our Balmera.”

****

 

 

“I’ve got an idea, Lance focus fire with your ice, Hunk, Pidge to me, we’re covering him. Keith fire on my word.”

 

The strategy traps the beast in the ice, it eventually breaks out.

 

“Now Keith!”

 

Keith uses his fire and the monster roars in pain as the lenses in it’s eyes fracture.

 

“Nice plan Shiro!”

 

“We’re not done yet.”

 

The beasts firing becomes erratic, with the lenses of it’s eyes cracked it cannot focus on any target and is firing almost at random.

 

The extra damage causes huge sections of the mines to collapse. Trapping the Balmerans.

 

“Guys, we have to beat it, it’s the only way!”

 

During the fight Keith feels something, like a wave of life washing over the ground beneath him.

 

“Do you guys feel that?”

 

“We have to defend the castle, form Voltron!” Shiro shouts.

 

Once the warrior is assembled Hunk’s Lion calls for his bayard, “I think my Lion’s giving us a new weapon.”

 

“It’s worth a shot.”

 

“Form thingy!”

 

Keith chuckles but the cannon is successful, it targets all the eyes breaking the lenses wholly, the aura Keith felt earlier becomes overwhelming as the rejuvenation ritual completes, “whoa.”

 

The monster has to rely on it’s single cannon, allowing them to defeat it.

 

Or so they thought, luckily the Balmera comes to their rescue sealing the monster in crystal.

 

Hunk decides to baby talk the Balmera causing Shay to chuckle.

 

“You honored your vow to return.”

 

“You helped me, not just to escape that cell, but to understand what we’re fighting for.”

 

She looks around at her assembled family, “I, I want to go with you, I want to help free others from the Galra, we are not a people who fight but I could help other ways. We know much about the crystals and the starships they power.”

 

“Shay, are you sure? It’ll be dangerous, like really dangerous.”

 

Her brother steps up but only to place a hand on her shoulder, “if this is what you want then we support you, come back to us though, please.”

 

Shay nods, “if you will let me, I would join you.”

 

Keith smiles at her, “I’m down, and I’m sure once his ‘protective instincts’ die down Hunk will be very happy have you on board.” He winks at Hunk, and Pidge elbows the larger man who’s face becomes almost worryingly red.

****

 

 

The group gives shay a tour of the ship while Allura rests from the ceremony, they allow her family to come along so that they know where she’ll be during her journey.

 

“And this is the teludav! It produces the wormholes that allow for near instantaneous space travel.”

 

The crowd is, probably less impressed since the mind boggling vastness of space hasn’t ever really been something considered. Shay seems impressed at least.

 

Hunk however is a little concerned, taking a look at the lenses, there are small fractures decorating the surface of nearly all of them. “Hey guys, would you mind finishing the tour please I’d like to ask Coran something.”

 

They nod, though everyone’s a little confused considering how excited he was to see Shay. Shay however seems delighted with every aspect of the castle and if she notices it’s not enough to dampen her spirit.

 

“What’s the matter Hunk?”

 

“These lenses, they’re covered in hairline cracks, probably just as many micro-fractures.”

 

Coran looks them over, “good eye, I guess ten thousand deca-phoebs really did their number.”

 

“Not to mention the fights we’ve been in lately.”

 

“True, it’s a major concern, though the lenses should hold up long enough for us to get to a swap moon and find some new ones.”

 

“A swap moon?”  


“Oh yes, careful though the unilu there will take you for a ride if you aren’t careful!”

 

“Great.”

****

 

 

That is how the team ended up on a “swap moon” dressed as pirates.

 

The moon turns out to be a mall, causing everyone to ditch their costumes the minute Coran is out of sight.

 

Well all except Keith who came in wearing a dark under suit with a hood attached, and a pair of jeans.

 

“Isn’t that the stuff you wore when we rescued Shiro?” Lance asks.

 

“Yep, sans the armored bits.”

 

“Yeah, about that, where’d you get the space ninja suit?”

 

“My dads.”

 

“Uh huh, they really feel the need to get you that get-up? I mean that’s not exactly standard military gear.”

 

“It is where I’m from.”

 

“Are you just going to be difficult about this no matter what I ask?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Pidge just watches this whole interaction with undiluted glee, she clearly knows the full story. Or most of it, somehow Hunk’s starting to get the sense that Keith keeps a lot closed off from everyone.

 

It’s not healthy, especially for a Paladin, but if he and Pidge are close enough to have shared it then it can’t be that bad, if it were she’d tell them right?

 

Still, kinda hard to reconcile not being fully trusted, “well whatever, I’m going to go get some food.”

 

Pidge walks up to him, “maybe want to take this with you?”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Some of us bothered to find out what the accepted currency of the realm is.”

 

“Oh, uh, I figured I’d just get some freebies.”

 

“And if they don’t have freebies?”

 

Hunk’s face looks like Pidge just told him Santa isn’t real for the first time in his life.

****

 

 

Once Hunk’s gone Keith taps Pidge’s shoulder, “If it’s still here there’s a shop we gotta check out.”

 

“You’ve been here before?”

 

“A couple times, actually had my sixth birthday here.”

 

“Alien rebels, a mall, and a toddler sounds like a sitcom or something.”

 

“Something like that,” Keith laughs, “hey Lance, wanna check this place out with us?”

 

“You’re inviting Lance?”

 

“Paladins gotta bond right?” Keith smirks.

 

“What are you up to?”

****

 

 

What he’s up to is the Earth store which sells, a vintage game series that Pidge thought had all but gone extinct. The fact that it’s run by a standard issue gray alien is also not lost on her.

 

“Was the Roswell incident real Keith,” she whispers, “you are obligated to tell me.”

 

Keith just blinks dumbly for a minute, “the what? I’m not space google you know?”

 

Pidge is about to get into a lecture about having to figure out what Keith does or doesn’t know being one of the most frustrating things about him when Lance walks in.

 

“Oh my god, this place is way retro!”

  
He gasps and gets all starry eyed, “they have stuff from Cuba!”

 

“I’ll just run a couple errands and get back to you guys in a varga.” Keith smiles leaving his friends drooling over various objects from Earth.

****

 

 

He stops by a comm terminal, “last quantum communicator,” he has limited storage but he can at least send Kolivan a small update, the first he’s been able to since leaving Earth.

 

He thumbs the device frowning a bit, if he uses it here, they will need to leave before he can retrieve it, not a problem since a Blade can pick it up easily. It means he’ll either need to go completely dark, or try and convince the group to go to a Blade base.

 

Kolivan needs to be updated, the mission comes before his feelings.

 

On his way back he sees Hunk, Pidge, and Lance riding a cow and getting chased by a mall cop.

 

“How do they manage that in under a varga?” Keith’s eye twitches and suddenly he’s considering asking for an extraction over anything else.

 

On foot he’s able to circumvent the route they’re using, heading the cop off.

 

The others are rapidly heading for the exit, good he throws on his Galra form, the cop stops just short of hitting him “you came in with those pirates!”

 

“Pirates?” Then it hits Keith, “ugh, I’m gonna kill Coran.”

  
Probably not the best thing to say to a suspicious pseudo law enforcement agent.

 

Then the cop narrows his eyes. “Wait do I know you?” Keith panics moment, “uh,” the mall cop grins.

 

“Yeah, I recognize those markings, you’re the Hazar kit!”

 

Keith looks around in a panic, “shhh shush, not so loud.”

 

The cop looks confused, “huh? c’mon you’re kind of a little celebrity among the senior staff.”

 

Keith sighs shifting back to human, “yeah except I’m only half-Galra.”

 

“Ah” the cop nods in understanding, then pulls out a holoviewer, there’s a picture on it of a broad shouldered four-armed alien holding two four-armed Galra kits. “The Mrs. and the hellspawn, they’re actually enlisting this year.”

 

Keith is struck by the surrealism of this moment, “yeah, my pops, er, my biological uncle, pulled some strings to get me a post further from the front and his mate still had a fit about me joining.”

 

The cop winces, “central’s mostly pure bloods and House families.”

 

Keith groans, “trust me I know, I’m not looking forward to it, it’s why my friends from my birth dad’s species decided to have a day of not dealing with me.”

 

Cop smiles, “alright, I guess I can let you guys go with a warning, don’t wanna ruin a promising career before it starts, just think more carefully about what you’re walking around in.”

 

Keith just laughs, “if you want you can totally have the guy who thought it was a funny idea.”

 

The cop just laughs and walks Keith to the mall exit, “have a safe trip, and kid don’t die out there.”

****

 

 

“Guys, Keith’s still in there!” Pidge yells.

 

“I am not risking space-mall-jail for Keith,” Lance retorts.

 

“You don’t have to,” Keith sighs walking out to them, “some of us know discretion and I suppose diplomacy.”

 

“What?”

 

“Did you try talking it out? Turns out dressing like a space pirate in a mall isn’t a good way to endear yourself to the security force.”

 

“Talk it out? With a Galra?” Lance sounds incredulous, Coran however seems to actually be thinking about it.

 

Keith has to actively suppress a growl, “a mall cop is not the same as one of Zarkon’s Commanders, we’re at war with the Empire, not the people in it.”

 

“But they’re Galra!” Hunk exclaims, “you saw what they were doing to the Balmera.”

 

Keith screams internally, luckily Pidge steps in, “Hunk, it’s not like human empires have a significantly better track record, I mean China is still cleaning out their rivers and lakes back on Earth.”

  
“I mean sure but...”

 

“I get it,” Keith drawls, voice dripping with sarcasm, “they’re aliens so it’s like robots, or zombies, they all work the same right?”

 

Pidge glares at him, Hunk shrinks a bit, Lance puffs up, “what crawled up your butt and died?”

 

Keith just walks past them to the ship.

 

Lance is about to go after him when Pidge stops him, “leave it Lance, let him blow off some steam with the gladiator first. Hunk lets go see if some of those supplies you picked up can be added to the fabricator.”

****

 

 

Unfortunately this is where things start to get weird, Keith’s been almost two vargas in, he cuts down the gladiator watching it vanish. “Training level five,” he says.

 

Keith sighs, his thoughts aren’t going anywhere, nowhere helpful anyway, he should also probably apologize to Hunk. His reaction probably seemed unnecessarily mean. Worse he’s starting to exhaust himself.

 

“End training sequence,” he calls to the computer.

 

The gladiator advances, “END TRAINING SEQUENCE!”

 

The gladiator rushes him, _quiznack time to run._

****

 

 

Pidge, Hunk, and Shiro try to set up the fabrication unit with the ingredients, “the castle is space magic, are you sure this will turn out safe?”

 

“Should be, it worked with the stuff I found on Arus, thank Keith by the way, like I know food, but he knows alkali and other bio-chem nonsense. Apparently some of the fruits on Arus are sweet and refreshing but also toxic as anti-freeze.”

 

Shiro gives Hunk a look that says he’s more dubious about this project than ever.

 

Then the kitchen starts shooting food goo at them.

 

“I guess the kitchen system’s got some bugs in it.”

 

“or our meddling caused some bugs,” Shiro looks over the mess.

 

The three of them exchange a look, “we should probably clean this up.”

 

“Or, we could leave it for Lance and Coran,” Pidge suggests

 

Everyone takes one look at the ominously pulsing food goo hose, “works for me.”

****

 

 

One obnoxiously merry chase through the halls of the castle later and the gladiator manages to stop him outside an airlock trying to suck Lance into space. Two duflax, one pulse shot.

 

Keith slams open the door and grabs Lance the gladiator charging him loses footing and goes careening into the void.

 

“What happened to you?” Keith asks.

 

“Who was that?” Lance pants at the same time.

 

“Trying to kill me, what about you?”

 

“Was it the castle because that’s who’s trying to kill me!”

 

The two hit a realization and go running to find Coran or Allura.

****

 

 

There’s a static in the air as Keith, Coran, and Lance make their way to the lion bays, “K..th ...ce ..lp, ..os..r ...ur. da….r.”

 

 

“Do you hear that?” Keith asks.

 

Lance and Coran stop, “hear what?”

 

“Shh, it sounds like.”

 

“All… .anger he… … ..ed .. he.. her, im..st..”

 

“Alfor.” Keith and Coran whisper.

 

“Something’s wrong with the castle. Could Alfor’s memories be affected?”

 

“No, Alfor’s on a closed system, but his memories are stored in the castle, backed up in case we lose power.”

 

They open the hanger to find Hunk, Shay, Shiro, and Pidge crash to the ground, “thanks you guys got here just in time, we’ve been stuck floating here forever.”

 

An alarm flashes and Coran gasps, “someone’s activated a wormhole.”

 

“Coran, if Alfor’s mind is backed up in the castle, could the system recreate a corrupted version of him?” Lance asks.

 

“Allura!”

 

Shiro looks over them, “Pidge, Hunk, Coran, try to get the real Alfor back online. Lance, Keith help me get Allura to turn the ship around.”

****

 

 

This is the right course of action given that she’s piloting the ship to a star. Pidge, Hunk, and Coran start furiously typing at three different consoles. “Hunk abandons the keyboard and goes straight to rerouting the innards of his.

 

“Allura, we shall walk among the blossoms again.” She smiles at her father.

 

“Allura get away from him!” Alfor shouts at her.

 

Confused she looks between the two versions of Alfor.

 

Allura tries to open a wormhole, as the two Alfors fight, “Coran, isolate my systems, all of them, please, do it.”

 

“If I do that your core will be-” Coran yells shocked.

 

“Yes, but it’s the only way to free the castle. You must.”

 

Coran nods, “Pidge, Hunk, help me.”

 

They nod, and in the nick of time manage to open a wormhole out.

 

“We have to physically disconnect the core, or this will just happen again,” Allura says, steel in her voice.

 

“Princess, if we do that,” Coran sounds conflicted.

 

“We must, I will not leave my father to rot in limbo while the energy of the Galra crystal destroys him.”

****

 

 

The memory core is disconnected, destroyed, Allura retreated to her room, she refuses to come out for nearly a quintant. No one is eager to try and force he to.

 

Shay sits with Hunk, “I have never considered something like Allura is going through. On Balmera we always have our family.”

 

Shiro sits next to them, “what we need to do is be there for her. We can never replace what she and Coran lost in Altea, but we need to be the family she can rely on.”

 

“I appreciate that,” everyone turns in shock to see Allura “and while the loss of my father’s wisdom may be a huge blow I am glad to finally allow him his rest.”

 

She holds herself as she looks out across the assembled Paladins and their allies.

 

Lance is the first to speak, “Allura, I’m glad you’re up and about but you don’t need to push yourself.”

 

“Thank you Lance, but Zarkon will not wait for us to grieve, if anything he will take advantage of it.”


	7. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth will set you free, or maybe it's the truth will wreck your shit? I get those confused.

Keith’s sitting alone in his room, it’s been a movement since the incident with King Alfor, and Keith can’t help but feel like he lost a friend, not just a mentor. Sure he only met the man like twice, but it was the first time in a long time he felt like there wasn’t something wrong with him. Pidge has been helpful, but she has only begun to see the face of the war. Alfor was one of it’s victims and he accepted Keith, it felt like something Kolivan or Thace would say.

 

He flips through the pictures of them idly, _should I try talking to Allura? What can I say? That I know what it’s like to lose people? That I understand? I do, but I don’t, I still have family, I still have the Blade, somewhere._

 

He ends up back at the start, his mom and dad holding him when he’d been about two or three, “Oh wow, baby Keith’s adorable!”

 

Keith jumps, “QUIZNACK! dammit Katie!” he scowls at her she smiles shamelessly back, “when did you learn to move so quietly? I didn’t even hear the door open.”

 

“I think that says more about how distracted you are than how much I’ve learned.”

 

Keith huffs out a laugh “Probably.”

 

“You know, you never showed me this.”

 

“Really?” It’s not that surprising these are a glimpse into Keith’s most personal life, maybe it would help though.

 

“Would you like to see them? I mean you don’t need to.”

 

“Keith, shut up and show me the pics.”

****

 

 

Something’s been bothering Keith, it’s somewhat obvious to everyone, but Shiro, Shiro can’t help but notice. He’s known Keith for years and while he’s always been reserved and a little odd, like he expects his face and body to speak for him.

 

Shiro’s outside his door when he hears snippets of conversation, “I was grounded for a movement thanks to that. Reg’s a total tattle tale.”

 

Then Pidge’s voice, “oh man Ulaz sounds like a hard ass.”

 

That name, something about it, it hurts Shiro’s head, but there’s something there, something just out of reach.

 

He knocks on the door, there’s some scrambling, “come in?”

 

Shiro walks in, “hey guys, you know if you two hang out in here with the doors closed Hunk and Lance are not going to stop having the wrong idea.”

 

Pidge makes a noise of disgust, “how about we never mention that again.”

 

“Tell that to Lance.”

 

“I replaced his face cream with food goo and rewired the food station to fabricate nunvill flavored ice-cream. If that hasn’t taught him and Hunk not to shut up I’m afraid they’re both terminal cases.”

 

“Fair, I was wondering if either of you were interested in training.”

 

“Uh...” Keith flushes a little, unsure how to answer.

  
Pidge slaps his back, “don’t worry, I’m still double checking the systems with Coran. You go, be Keith the barbarian for a little bit.”

 

“Good, I think I’ve been a bit rusty,” Shiro says not really giving Keith a choice.

 

“I’m outnumbered, I’m getting flashbacks to the first time I went to your place” he glares at Pidge, but there’s no heat to it.

****

 

 

“So what were you and Pidge talking about?” Shiro blocks a blade strike from Keith’s practice weapons.

 

“Oh, nothing much, just, you know, home. We both left to pursue a goal, but it’s still hard.”

 

“I’m glad you finally opened up to someone about it,” it does hurt a little that it wasn’t him, it’s one more thing he missed out on thanks to the Empire. One more thing the Galra stole, but there’s no reason that Keith should feel responsible.

 

“I guess? I mean, I’ve talked to you about it.”

 

“Barely, and you never mentioned names, anytime you came close to you’d backpedal.”

 

Keith hesitates and Shiro manages to get in a strike, a small tap.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Don’t be, I get it, it was probably difficult to try and parse what’s okay to talk about and what’s not. I’m glad that you and Pidge got to bond.”

 

“Yeah, it kinda happened when she infiltrated the Garrison, went further after we rescued you, I guess we both just needed someone to help ground us. You know, you’re kinda to thank for that, not just by introducing us I mean.”

 

Shiro looks confused, Keith takes a breath and continues, “I’m sorry this is going to sound, well really bad, but after we really got a look at what happened to you I guess the reality just hit us both.”

 

Shiro shakes his head, “no harm in there being a small silver lining.”

 

“It shouldn’t have taken that though.”

 

“No, but that’s not something anyone had control over, emotions are weird like that.”

 

Shiro pauses for a bit, “Keith, about your family.”

 

Keith looks somewhat alarmed before settling on guarded, _two steps forward one step back_ Shiro sighs.

 

“It’s nothing, I just thought I heard a name I recognize when you and Pidge were talking. Probably just one of those names, like Yuri or something.”

 

Keith looks stunned for a moment, and maybe even hopeful, “maybe.”

****

 

 

Over the next quintant Shiro tries to focus on something else, every time he tries to remember all he feels is pain, and the sickening sensation of feeling trapped, of a burning in his arm. The hatred of something not him, not the Black Lion, but a part of him.

 

A murderous intent that scares him deeply.

 

His nightmares get worse, finally he tracks down Coran.

 

“Hey Coran,” the Altean looks at him with obvious concern.

 

“Shiro, something the matter? You look like you haven’t slept in a movement.”

 

Shiro lets out a small laugh, “might be getting close to that, at least not well. I was wondering, those Altean crowns we used for mind practice. Do you think they can be used to sort through jumbled memories?” Part of him doesn’t want to know, part of him wants Coran to say ‘no it’s not possible’ the rest of him is tearing itself apart trying to figure it out.

 

“It’s possible, but, are you sure? This could be your mind protecting you from something truly harmful. Further if they’re that jumbled there wont be much to stabilize them.”

 

“I know, but, I think I need to know, I think, I don’t think I escaped on my own. If someone helped me, they might still be trapped, I can’t, I cant stand the idea of leaving someone behind because I can’t remember.”

 

“Alright, but you aren’t doing this alone, I’ll link my own mind up, it’ll be easier if you have another mind to brace your own against.”

 

Shiro nods.

****

 

 

“Take a few deep easy breaths, try and think back, what triggered this feeling of yours?”

 

A name, possibly misheard, Las could have been it, his mind might have been tricking him. Still he focuses on the name he thinks he heard _Ulaz._

  
The pain in his arm, the fear, the hatred.

 

It comes in flashes, being carried from the Arena in a frigate, it’s a nice frigate, he’s locked in a room, but there’s an actual bed.

 

He remembers being taken from the room, grabbed by a huge monstrosity, like a blending of different features, with two faces, mouths within mouths, hair, scales, and feathers.

 

There are other things, Galra with prosthetic limbs some of them are additions to their natural organs, huge spider like claws, they are crude though, clumsy.

 

“Through here,” hisses a voice.

 

There’s a woman, the witch, Haggar, he doesn’t know how he knows the name, he does.

 

He tries to run but the monster grabs him, he’s sedated.

 

He wakes up strapped to a medical table, “no, no sedatives, he needs to be conscious otherwise he’ll reject it. I wont lose this specimen because of your incompetence.”

 

It’s Haggar, she isn’t yelling, just offering a low snarl, the doctor backs off. Then the Druid appears, “remove the designated area.”

 

It nods, then there’s pain, he can feel his arm being pulled apart, a purple light being fed into and out of his arm. “The nerves are exposed, ready for transplant,” the Druid’s dead dry voice says.

 

“Good, bring it.”

 

The arm is attached, melded by both the Druids and the doctors efforts to his arm, flesh being molded to the metal or ceramic like clay. Like the very molecules are being sculpted.

 

“Activate it.”

 

Then there’s pain, blinding pain, and hatred, he can feel the rage, there’s something in the arm, something alive, no not alive, something angry. It’s consumed by hate, it wants revenge, it hates the Druids, it hates the Galra, it hates Shiro, it hates everything alive because it isn’t not really; not anymore.

 

Shiro’s almost overwhelmed, then he screams, in the Arena it was kill or be killed, he struck down other people. People like him, subjugated, slaves, conquered, criminals, disgraced warriors of the Empire. He killed them without a second thought, he ended their lives to preserve his own. He’ll do the same here.

 

He fights the monster inside him, he becomes a worse monster, it cowers, cowed, hating him more because he beat it back, stole vengeance, stole freedom, stole death away from it.

 

He can feel it.

 

He doesn’t realize he was screaming the whole time until he stops and his throat is raw.

 

“He lives High Priestess, Queen Merla, it was a success.”

 

“Excellent, you were correct High Priestess, this one was perfectly vicious. Shall we pursue more trials.”

  
“Yes, once we are certain it’s perfected Sendak has already expressed interest in our project.”

 

“Sendak’s an excellent specimen, it will be a pleasure to work on him.”

 

There’s a soft caress against Shiro’s cheek, and a rough but silken voice in his ear, “you were a better specimen though.”

 

There’s something almost perverse in her voice.

 

Then he’s in another room, he was sedated, “he’s conscious, prepare another sedative.”

 

He screams in rage, the thing inside him, the thing that isn’t him, but now, thanks to the Galra is a part of him wants to lash out. Wants to kill them.

 

“YOU BASTARDS! You stole my arm! You stole it!” He snarls, he doesn’t recognize his own voice, the murderous intent.

 

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you all!”

 

“Sedatives now, we can’t risk him compromising himself.”

 

Then one of the other doctors turns on them, kicking one into the far wall and stabbing the other. Slashing the throat of the first when they try to stand.

 

“I need you to calm down Champion. I’m here to get you out, but you need to be calm, we only have a short time before others will come.”

 

His shock calms his rage, for a moment, patience yields focus. He repeats it like a mantra, he needs to stay sane, needs to stay alive, too close to escape to lose himself.

 

“Meet me in the shuttle bay,” he gives Shiro the coordinates.

 

He remembers escaping the sentries, timing their movements, something he’d perfected in past escape attempts.

 

He reaches the shuttles, the Galra is there, he has light purple fur with lighter purple markings, and a mohawk. “I’m putting coordinates in your arm, the Empire is searching your world for Voltron. If you manage to find it follow these coordinates. I am Ulaz, I am a member of the Blade of Marmora, we are not your enemy, we want to stop the Empire. Now go, I’ve planted a bomb to cover your escape, I may not live today, but if I do I will meet you there.”

 

Shiro rips the Altean device off his head panting he runs to the nearest waste bin and vomits, Coran is sitting in shock.

 

“I escaped, I was rescued, a Galra saved me. Why?” He looks to Coran his eyes pleading for answers the older man simply cannot give.

 

“I don’t know Shiro, but this is something we need to tell the others.”

****

 

 

The Paladins, Shay, and Allura are all assembled, Coran relays the story, Shiro filling in where he can but he’s clearly still very shaken.

 

Allura’s gaze is cold, hard, and distant.

 

Pidge is the one observing everyone, keeping a close eye on Keith.

 

His stance is stiff, guarded, his face expressionless, however, she can’t help but see Galra Keith superimposed on the Keith that’s actually there. Ears forward hanging on Shiro’s every word. Fur bristled with anticipation and nervousness.

 

“This Ulaz saved my life, helped me escape and get back to Earth. I think, I think we should follow these coordinates.”

 

“It could be a trap,” Lance says suspicious, not unwarranted.

 

“But if it is not then would it not be truly good to our cause that some Galra fight against the Empire?” Shay asks.

 

Her perspective on the Galra is surprising, she grew up knowing nothing but their rule, fearing them, now she fights them, she hates the Empire. But it seems to still be a nebulous distant thing to her. Like a faceless evil, not the race that makes it up. Pidge realizes that she may never have seen a Galra, every combatant on the Balmera had been a sentry.

 

Allura breaks her silence, “You can’t seriously be suggesting we trust a Galra, they’re,” she waves her hand in frustration before settling on an Altaen word or possibly phrase.

 

Once she says it Corran blanches and just yells “Princess!”

 

To anyone not paying attention which would be everyone not named Pidge, Keith would look calm, but annoyed when he turns to leave because everyone’s shouting again.

 

Hunk trying to come up with reasons Shiro’s memories aren’t compromised, and shooting down his own reasons without really thinking. Or maybe because he’s thinking exactly enough.

 

Anyone named Pidge would see an emotion that she realized she’s never actually seen in Keith as he leaves. Felt through the lions in battle yes, but never seen, burning and absolute fury.

 

Pidge stands up, “well it wont matter if there’s no coordinates in Shiro’s arm so the first thing we should do is let me take a look at it. Shiro go get some food and a nap I’ll come get you when I’m set up.”

 

Before she leaves she stops Coran keeping her voice low she says, “listen, I don’t know what the princess said, but whatever it was it really upset Keith. Someone who knows exactly what she just said should be the one to talk to him.”

 

Coran raises an eyebrow at her.

****

 

 

“Training level seven!” Keith shouts, then he dives forward as soon as he sees the gladiator start to fall it blocks his first strike but his luxite blade shears through it leaving it to burst.

 

“Training level eight!”

 

Keith waits for the opening then rushes it again, they exchange blows, the gladiator ready for him. He receives a backhand but rolls back into a combat stance snarls, his shift being close to overtaking him.

 

He charges forward when someone says, “system override, end training sequence.”

 

He slashes but the gladiator vanishes before his swing can connect.

 

“Coran, what in the Void are you doing?”

 

“Not that I don’t think your dedication is admirable, you’re looking a little worse for wear, I don’t think you should overwork yourself.”

 

“I’m fine,” Keith snarls, then he’s about to start the training again.

 

“Keith if you reactivate the gladiator I will be making you take Altean herbal remedies for exhaustion. Those make nunvill taste like nectar cake.”

 

Keith winces, “fine, I’ll take a break.”

 

“What’s got you so upset?”

 

“Shiro’s story, I don’t like what they did to him, I don’t like hearing it.”

 

It’s not a lie, not a direct lie, but it is a deflection, if Pidge hadn’t been adamant that what Allura had said is what upset Keith then he probably would have bought it.

 

“Really? I suppose that’s a relief, I could have sworn Allura’s outburst had touched a nerve.”

 

Keith’s stance switches to wary, it’s subtle but he’s suspicious now.

 

“Why would it? It’s not like I know what she said, I mean I can guess it’s a pejorative.”

 

_To put it mildly._

 

“But it’s not like it’s not deserved, she lost everything because of the Galra, she has every right to be suspicious. To hate them, hell to even want to see the race wiped out!”  


Coran shrugs, “Whether or not that’s true she’s a princess and a diplomat, and refusing a potential lead? {There’s no excuse.}”

 

“I’d say that genocide’s a pretty valid quiznacking excuse!”

  
Coran raises an eyebrow, and Keith’s face pales, blood draining from it. Coran ended that statement in Altean.

 

Keith looks panicked, like he’s about to run.

 

“Keith,” Coran’s speaking in low calming tones, “you’re fine, we’re just talking, that’s all we’re going to do okay?”

 

It really doesn’t look okay.

 

“Mind if I ask where you learned Altean?”

 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I said Alfor or the Castle?”

 

{Depends on how fluent you are.}

 

{Mine accent is probably real bad.}

 

Coran smiles, “not great but not that terrible, you should hear my Galran.”

 

Keith sinks to the floor, he looks completely exhausted and empty.

 

{I have, you swear pretty colorfully when you pinch your fingers on the ship’s systems.}

 

That’s said in Galran, perfect Galran.

 

“And your accent’s not that bad, taking ten thousand deca-phoebs into account.”

 

“Your Altean’s passable, ten thousand deca-phoebs into account, but your Galran is superb.”

 

Keith laughs, he’s in hysterics, “my Galran is better than my English Coran.”

****

 

 

His thoughts whip themselves into s frenzied hurricane.

 

_It’s like I can’t stop, like I need to answer honestly, I’ll leave, Pidge’ll understand, she almost left herself. She’ll get it I just need those coordinates, then I’ll take a pod. Allura can pilot Red she should._

 

There’s an angry grumble in the back of his mind, Red seems to feel very differently about this.

****

 

 

“So I take it Earth wasn’t quite the permanent residence for you it was for the others?”

 

Keith shakes his head.

 

“Mind if I ask where you grew up.”

 

“I can’t tell you.”

 

Coran frowns.

 

“I haven’t even told Pidge, I-” he falters.

 

“I’d need my dad’s or one of my teachers’ permission. Secrecy is how we survive, it’s why Zarkon hasn’t killed us all.”

 

“Resistance?” Coran asks.

 

“Sort of.”

 

Keith sighs, there’s a sob mixed in.

 

“Shiro’s telling the truth, or at least, I think he is, I grew up with my uncle and his mate. His mate’s name is Ulaz, I became a full member of the Blade of Marmora when I was twelve and I awakened my luxite Blade.”

 

Coran lets out a low whistle, “luxite, very rare, only ever able to find one planet where it could be mined. You know it repels quintessence outside itself? Difficult to work but it binds to very few people who are able to shape it. Alfor used to use it in shielding during quintessence experiments.”

 

Keith looks at him, “I didn’t know that last part. We use it because it’s the most effective thing against Haggar’s Druids.”

 

He looks at his knife, “the Druids and the Drule are where Shiro’s arm came from. You know what powers it?”

 

“Quintessence right?”

 

“Yeah, the Druids probably took a slave, most likely one they found appropriately vicious or cruel and ripped the quintessence out of them in order to build the arm.”

 

Coran looks horrified, “that’s vile.”

 

“It gets worse,” Keith looks at him hard, “do you want to hear this?”

 

“No, but we need the intel.”

 

Keith nods, “the robeasts, Haggar and her Druids build them and power them with large amounts of quintessence, but what activates and guides them is quintessence from a living creature. I’m pretty sure the first one we fought used to be a Galra named Myzax. He was the Arena Champion, based on what I heard from Pidge, Shiro beat him I guess he hated Shiro enough to give up his life for revenge.”

 

“How do they get the quintessence?”

 

Keith curls tighter into himself, then he whispers, “they harvest planets. Over the course of deca-phoebs, they leave dead and barren balls of rock behind.”

 

He can’t look up, he’s too afraid of what he’ll see, he can feel his ears fold back, that’s when he realizes he shifted.

 

“I haven’t shifted without meaning to since I was twelve” there’s still a hysteric edge to his voice, it’s rising again, he can smell his own tears, it’s overwhelming.

 

“You’re not fully human then.” Coran sighs, “you need to tell the others.”

 

Keith nods into his knees, somewhere he can hear his inner Ulaz say _I didn’t raise a cub who lies to his pride._ He almost wants to smile.

 

“Now,” Coran’s voice brooks no argument.

 

“What’ll you do if I refuse,” Keith growls, he doesn’t like being threatened.

 

Coran shrugs, “be very disappointed in you until you do.”

 

He chuffs, not quite a laugh and nods again he can’t move his arms though, it feels like he’s made of scaultrite.

 

He jumps when he feels an arm round his shoulder, Coran pulls him close in a loose hug, “maybe not now, maybe in a varga is better.”

 

Keith smiles in thanks, he still can’t quite speak.

****

 

 

In a varga Keith arrives, human again, to see everyone in the hanger with Pidge pouring over her computer, cords leading from it to Shiro’s arm.

 

She looks at Keith worried, Keith offers a weary smile.

 

“I have something I need to tell everyone,” he takes a deep breath.

 

Coran offers him an encouraging smile and a thumbs up.

 

“I can’t be certain what we’ll find at those coordinates, but, Shiro’s telling the truth.”

  
Lance makes a noise, “and how do you know?”

 

Keith’s expression goes cold and guarded, it’s something Pidge hasn’t seen in a while. He hasn’t shut down like that around her in years. Even before the reveal.

 

“Because, well, I guess what you know about me that is true is I was born on Earth, not too far from the Galaxy Garrison. When I was about five however I was sent to live with my mom’s family.

That said, they didn’t live in Europe, or on Earth, because I’m not fully human.

 

My uncle’s name is Thace, and I know Shiro’s telling the truth because his mate’s name is Ulaz. My dads, they raised me in the home base of the Blade of Marmora.

 

A resistance formed from within the Empire, devoted to dismantling it,” his heart is pounding in his ears.

 

“We exist in secret, it’s how we survive, by hiding, by sabotage, and when we can, by assassination. I was sent to Earth to keep the Blue Lion out of Zarkon’s hands, we didn’t know where it was, we knew it was in the Sol System thanks to the info gathered by my mother Krolia.”

 

He remembers his family, what they’ve told him about his mother, he draws strength and resolve from it. “Zarkon had just sent a scouting force to the milky-way. I joined the Garrison searching for the means to scan for the Lion, though it was luck and honestly, Lance being the Paladin that lead to it’s discovery.”

 

Hunk just kind of stares, “so you’re part alien?”

  
“Yes, I am half human, and...” He gulps, takes a breath and quietly says. “half Galra.”

 

There’s a stunned silence, he uses it as an opportunity to continue. “Most of the others in the Blade, like my mother and dads are full blooded.”

 

He shifts into his Galra form to prove it.

 

Allura bristles with anger, Keith looks away, ears flat in shame.

 

Pidge looks up, “I gotta come clean, I knew about this for a while, not as long as Keith knew about me being a girl, since we met before Matt and my dad got kidnapped, but he told me before we left Earth. Then showed me when he arrived on Arus.”

 

Shay raises a shy hand, “I too was aware, though I was not aware it was a secret.”

 

The group all look at her stunned, “Balmera can sense the life of those on her surface, she knew each of you, Altean and Galra, and those she had not yet seen.”

 

Allura looks at them both, “and you decided to keep this a secret?! This is a team, there can be no secrets among us that kind of behavior destroys Paladins!”

 

Keith eyes her, “princess, I grew up on legends of Voltron, and the original five paladins, _all_ the original paladins. I know that.”

 

Allura leans on a desk suddenly seeming very tired, and very alone Coran’s at her side. “I see, then you must understand.”

 

“I don’t know why the Red Lion chose me, if I had a say in it, I would say it should be you in the red armor wielding the red bayard. Carrying Alfor’s torch.”

 

She looks at him, there’s something there, mistrust, anger, maybe hatred, but mostly there’s hurt, and some embarrassment.

 

Pidge looks up at him and decides it’s time to lean away from the heavy stuff, “so how many languages do you speak?” It’s something she’s been somewhat curious about since she decided to try learning Altean.

 

“Uh, four fluently, or maybe three fluently one decentish, and three passably. English, and Galran are my strongest languages. Galran is my first language, then my dads had me learn Altean and Olkari, and since the Olkari are allies I had more opportunity to practice. Then I can speak basic Gamorran, Unilu, and a little Puigian.”

 

Allura looks up cheeks bright red face slightly horrified, “you speak Altean?”

 

“Uh, more or less, it’s been a long time since it was spoken so my understanding is my accent is thick and my phrasing is a bit broken.”

 

He says something that only Allura, Coran, and Keith can understand, Pidge catches snippets, but not much.

 

She frowns, “your accent is... Yes you have one.”

 

Keith shifts his feet, “if this is a problem, I can leave, I know how to get to an out base, as long as Allura is willing to open a wormhole.”

 

“What!?” Lance shouts, Keith is stunned into silence everyone looking at the Blue Paladin.

 

“I just found out that I was right and you want to leave before I can gloat? No, no no no no no, no way buddy!”

 

“What?”

 

“You actually are an alien!?” He turns to Hunk and Pidge, “I was right! I mean I was joking, but I was right!”

 

Keith snarls, “I was born on Earth jackass.”

 

“Yeah, and you left when you were what five? I’m still right!”

 

Despite the growl, he’s relieved, if Lance is still comfortable enough to be an ass then it can’t be that bad.

 

That is until he looks at Shiro, the Black Paladin’s gaze goes hard and cold, and Keith averts his eyes, ears folding back again.

 

Pidge sighs, but goes back to the coordinates.


	8. Father's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I swear to the entire Ogdoad I did not intend to leave it on a cliffhanger but good lord this behemoth was already fourteen pages. So sorry I'll be milking your anxiety a bit longer my lovely readers.

Keith has spent the last two vargas hiding in Pidge’s room, after he was able to escape Lance who it seemed is intent on making good on his gloating. By pointing out literally every single time Keith flubbed being human.

 

He tucks himself behind the deconstructed innards of some machine and a stack of books, that’s the nice thing about Pidge’s room. He can just get lost in all the clutter.

****

 

 

“We have our coordinates,” Pidge announces as soon as she does, and Lance is distracted she notices Keith make a quick escape. She sighs, he’s going to be avoiding the team forever now, she just knows it. “Coran think you can do the rest with getting these in the castle’s computer?”

 

Coran looks over her shoulder and tugs his mustache, “shouldn’t be a problem.”

 

“Good,” she stands up cracks her back then grabs the blue paladin by the shirt, “Lance you’re coming with me.”

 

Hunk snickers behind their backs. Shay smiles and bids a polite farewell.

 

Once out of the group’s collective earshot, which is a ways since Alteans have obnoxiously good hearing Pidge has learned.

 

“Lance you need to chill with Keith,” Lance pouts.

 

“Aw c’mon it’s just fun, besides isn’t it more important that we treat him the same?”

 

Pidge pinches the bridge of her nose, “yes, but do you really think reminding him of how often he did something weird by our standards is helping that?”

 

“He’s an alien though!”

 

“He’s still human Lance, well, partially, human enough.”

 

“He’s a purple space tiger.”

  
Pidge just gives Lance a look.

 

“Okay yeah, but, it’s really cool, like he’s from actual space! He probably knows more about this than any of us!”

 

Then something hits Lance, and he leans against the wall, “geez, he’s been lightyears from home longer than any of us.”

 

Lance smiles a bit, “he’s been trying to help Hunk and I this whole time.”

 

Pidge looks confused, “okay so I’m only doing this because I’m good at boundaries, but I’m like the worst when it comes to any other people based thing.”

 

“Well Keith’s not super social right? He hangs back a lot?” Lance responds.

 

Lance has no idea, Keith only did that because he has no clue what was considered acceptable by human standards.

 

“Well he never does that when Hunk and I talk about home, he was always there with us I think even Shiro’s talked to him about it.”

 

And, huh, that’s really sweet actually, and really just shows how protective he is of all of them.

****

 

 

It’s not Pidge who comes into the room to find Keith, it’s Shay of all people. “Hello? The castle crystal said that you were here.”

 

“Yeah,” he says coming out of his hiding spot, “sorry I wasn’t expecting you.”

 

Shay sits on the floor in front of him, “are you upset with Lance?”

 

“Not really, I mean, I know I didn’t really grow up human, but it’s been over four years you know? I was starting to feel connected to my human half for the first time.”

 

“I do not know what being human is, or being Galra, I was born on Balmera and we never left. The others, they are your family yes? I do not understand why you deceived them.”

 

Keith flinches, “they’re my pride, sort of like a family, but I have a family, the Blade, they raised me. Keeping our existence secret is the only real protection we have against Zarkon.”

 

Shay seems to understand then frowns deeply trying to wrap her head around a very foreign concept, “I have only had my family, family is all we truly had on Balmera, I cannot imagine having to choose between families.”  


“Do families never fight? You guys never get caught in the middle?”

 

“Some do, but it is greatly taboo to cause family strife over a personal feud, so disagreements tend to stay between those who have them.”

 

Keith watches in rapt fascination, ears trained forward, “sounds a bit like the Blade, Kolivan, our leader, he would have a senior Blade oversee a sparring match between them. Let them fight it out and then come back. It usually worked.”

 

“Sometimes people would go to completely different systems for a time, though we always made sure to come back. Galra prey on lone Balmerans.”

 

Keith’s ears dip, and he looks away, “how do you feel about a Galra being here?”

 

“I already knew, if I truly did not like it I would not have come.”

 

“Why’d you choose to leave?”

 

“This is an opportunity to protect my family, I needed to. Is that not why you left?”

 

Keith smiles, “I guess it is thanks Shay.”

 

“Good, now please come back to the group, I think the others are worried.”

 

“Doubt it, Lance is, well, Lance, Pidge is probably exhausted, Shiro and Allura hate me, Coran might be worried. Not sure about Hunk.”

 

“Hunk is certainly worried, shocked, but also worried.”

 

“You can read him pretty well huh?”  


It’s hard to tell but Keith’s pretty sure the Balmeran’s body language has shifted to embarrassed. “He is the first skyling I have met, he is interesting.”

 

Keith hums a little but chooses not to say anything.

****

 

 

Once Pidge is finished Shiro retreats to his own room his thoughts swirling around in circles. Keith wasn’t human, seeing Keith, who he’d mentored, who he met as a strange closed off ruthlessly pragmatic, child.

 

Okay fourteen so not quite a child, but in his defense Keith looked much younger than he was. Even now the boy looks closer to fifteen or sixteen.

 

Keith who ate both the boarding school and Garrison food without batting an eye because “you don’t waste food.”

 

Keith who lived in a desert shack with a purple glow.

 

Shiro’s actually kind of mad he didn’t see it coming at all.

 

Part of him wants to be livid, pissed, well he is pissed, Keith lied to him, for years.

 

_Even if he wasn’t involved with Kerberos. Was he? No he’s fought alongside Voltron, risked his life to save Shiro and keep everyone away from Zarkon’s control._

 

_He’d told Katie, when had he told Katie? Back on Earth she said, showed her on Arus, she trusts him._

 

Katie trusts him, enough to keep his secret. Shiro knew they were close on Earth, that they’d gotten closer after her family got captured. Was that a ruse on Keith’s part.

 

Shiro thinks back to all the fights he had to step in to stop because Keith accidentally pissed off another cadet with an offhand remark.

 

No it’s not a ruse, Keith’s not that manipulative, Keith’s not capable of being that manipulative.

 

_Things can change in a year, and you never really knew him._

 

There’s a part of his mind built by his captivity, a small mistrustful doubter in the back of his brain, he’s spent the better part of their time in space trying to silence it. It just wont stop, and now it’s got something to latch on to.

 

Still would he have believed Keith?

 

He can look like a Galra he would have if Keith had backed it up with that.

 

Hard not to.

 

His uncle, he remembers the fond stories he’d tell of his dads, one dad who’s his uncle and his uncle’s husband.

 

His uncle Thace, now there are names attached to the mysterious family. Still why not come forward before now? _Because he was scared, because he doesn’t know who he can trust, because he’s been fighting this war on it’s front lines since he was six._

 

Then why come forward now? “My uncle Thace and his mate Ulaz.”

 

Oh.

 

Oh! Had the Galra that saved him been one of Keith’s dads?

 

The figures he talks about with such clear love and respect. It’s all too much, Shiro can’t think straight and needs air.

****

 

 

Hunk’s in the kitchen and lights up when he sees Shay and Keith, the cynical part of his brain says it’s all Shay, the realistic part notes his expression doesn’t change from excited when he sees Keith.

 

“Hey Keith, can I ask you a question?”

 

Keith tilts his head, “you can ask, there are somethings I can’t and wont answer.”

 

“Are there things you can’t eat? Like human stuff?”

 

“I’m mildly lactose intolerant, luckily it turns out I am able to digest peppers and onions without dying. My human half gave that ability, Galra get deathly ill from them. I love spicy food, and yes you do make the best curry.”

 

Then he thinks for a minutes, “I like the texture of a lot of pastries but I can’t really taste sweet stuff, I could when I was a kid but as I grew up it just kind of left. So anything sweet I eat is for the texture.”

 

Hunk makes a small noise of distress, “no ice-cream?”

 

“I would get nothing but a stomach ache and itchy palms out of it. I like lemon sorbet though.”

 

Shay smiles, “I must go check on the crystal. There are many crystals on the ship that have not reactivated, they are linked to the main one and I promised to help Coran with them.”

 

After she leaves, and Hunk is left with a clearly smitten smile.

 

“You do have a shot with her you know, unless I am woefully bad at Balmeran body language which in fairness I may be.”

 

Hunk blushes, “Uh, she’s not human, I’m not Balmeran wouldn’t that be kinda.”

 

Keith raises a brow one ear flicking backwards, then he shifts back into human to emphasize his point.

 

“Okay fine, but I have no idea what to do.”

 

“Get to know her, starts as friends go from there, in my experience it’s a pretty universal constant. As far as I know it’s how mom and dad met, hey he even saved her life from Zarkon too. Well from a crash but you know the Empire’s the reason she crashed.”

 

Hunk stares at him, “huh, that’s, surprisingly comforting.”

 

Keith just kind of averts his gaze, “yeah.”

 

“I’m sure Shiro will come around, not sure about Allura, she has a lot of reasons to dislike the Galra and you did lie.”

 

“So does Shiro, Hunk you don’t know what the Druids and their allies are capable of. It’s a mercy he’s forgotten what he has. Why aren’t you more mad?”

 

“I guess I had time to think about it. You didn’t have much reason to be open about it before we left Earth and then we ended up in space and it’s not like we’ve had any outside-of-Keith good Galra experiences. As for Shiro, I don’t know, it’s complicated and weird but he is trying to find these Blade guys right? So he’s not totally anti-Galra, he’s probably more pissed you didn’t tell him.”

 

The next thing Hunk knows he’s got Keith wrapped around him and there’s a muffled “thanks.”

 

“Uh, Keith? You okay?” Hunk sounds confused and mildly scared.

 

“I thought you liked hugs?” Keith’s trying to puzzle this out.

 

“I thought you hated them?” _Ah, that’s it_.

 

“No, Galra are actually very social and tactile, within our prides at least. By the time I considered you all part of my pride no one seemed interested in hugs, or anything. Plus I couldn’t just ask what human customs are appropriate.”

 

“Oh, so Galra Keith is cuddly?” Hunk says it like it’s a mind blowing revelation.

 

“You’re going to be embarrassing about this aren’t you?”

 

“I love you too buddy,” Hunk returns the hug full force, “you know you can just ask about any human stuff now right. Cuddly Keith is something I never want to miss out on again.”

 

Keith considers this for a moment, “how about grooming?”

 

“You’re joking right?”

 

“Nope, it’s something done within prides. Though I know a lot of outside species find it weird.”

 

“Like for real? You guys really are giant space cats huh?”

 

“Just a bit.”

 

Hunk seriously seems to be considering it, “uh, give me a bit to think on this, I’m all for other cultures but that’s kind of...”

 

Keith smirks, “alien?”

****

 

 

Hunk arrives with Keith seemingly trying to hide behind him. Hunk looking much less frantic and exhausted than he had before. Considering he seemed closest to Pidge and Shay the prior having gone for a nap, the latter having been with him the whole time makes Coran wonder.

 

For all of five seconds until Lance points out that Hunk’s hair looked smoother and less split than ever and expresses jealousy towards it.

 

“Man we’re in space at war with an evil Empire, when did you buy conditioner?”

 

He does not fail to catch the small smug look Keith gets and quickly squashes. It’s good, Coran decides, that the Galra have not completely abandoned some of their better social behaviors. Although perhaps that was more this Blade of Marmora than the Galra proper.

 

Coran leans over the console and sighs with nostalgia “Ah, there really is nothing like a grooming session to relax the mood and fix troublesome split ends.”

 

Lance looks confused.

 

Hunk blanches slightly before settling on a “whatever” expression.

 

Keith chuckles almost imperceptibly.

 

Which is a mood that dies entirely when Shiro enters the room. Keith choosing to shrink further behind Hunk.

 

Pidge arrives later takes one look at the room and immediately puts herself in the bulwark between Keith and the world.

 

Surprisingly Lance follows suit.

 

Allura arrives and the temperature noticeably drops in the room.

 

 _Well_ Coran thinks to himself, _this isn’t quite a surprise,_ and it is good to see the Paladins rallying to one of their own. Still not rallying against the princess he’s sworn himself to and helped raise would be nicer.

 

Especially since it’s clear that she’s more hurt than angry, though hard to tell form the outside he reminds himself.

 

Shiro hangs back near Allura, though whether this is because he’s with her in the general mood, or simply trying to mediate is not something Coran can easily tell.

****

 

 

Shiro notices how everyone seems to gravitate a little around Keith, it’d make him feel better about the whole thing if they weren’t clearly trying to shield him from Shiro himself, and okay that actually hurts a little.

 

Maybe the tension will leave the room after a little bit and they can get back to the mission at hand. Then he and Keith can talk, and they can work as a team again.

 

Then Allura walks in and Shiro is reminded why hoping for things is bad.

 

He sighs, “alright, so yes the revelation that Keith isn’t human,” he doesn’t fail to notice Pidge’s eyes narrow, and he knows that look.

 

“Entirely human,” he amends, “is, difficult to process,” though it’s starting to seem like he’s the only one having trouble with it, outside of Allura.

 

He schools himself because if the rest of the team has accepted Keith then why should he have problems?

  
_Because they tortured you for a year._

 

That wasn’t Keith, one Keith’s fathers saved him.

 

_Perhaps._

 

“We still have a job to do.”

 

Coran do we know where those coordinates lead?

 

Coran nods, “Thaldycon system.”

 

“Allura can you take us there?”

 

She nods, “for the record, I don’t like this, any of it.”

 

No one misses the glance shot at Keith, who shrinks further but after a moment comes out from behind the others. Instead he stands there in the open, stubborn, but he probably thinks he deserves their hatred.

 

Shiro sighs, he should say something but it doesn’t feel like his place. His own feelings are chasing themselves in circles and he has no idea what Allura must be thinking.

****

 

 

The system is beautiful Lance looks out over the view in awe, he notices Keith next to him with a look of what he now realizes is nostalgia; soft and fond.

 

“Xanthorium clusters,” Coran supplies, “very volatile if we bump even one whole sections of this place might go up.”

 

Lance blanches, “uh, what?”

 

Keith nudges him, “don’t worry, they are concentrated over there, as long as we don’t get too close we should be fine. And they are one of the wonders of the universe.”

 

Lance puffs up a bit, “they aren’t a white sandy beach with a pizza shack. Those are pretty and don’t explode!”

 

Well except for that one time, but how was Lance supposed to know that the gas had been on? He was eight.

 

Keith looks at him funny, “what’s a beach like?”

 

Lance balks at him, “okay, so, first thing that we’re doing when we get back to Earth is taking you to the beach.”

 

And it’s when, not if, Keith’s right about thinking that way.

 

“Sure, we could even go to the one you’re talking about, I bet the lions could get us there in like half a tick.”

 

Lance swings his arm around Keith’s shoulder, “you’re right! Hey why stop there, we could hit anywhere!”

 

He winks and turns to Allura, “I could show you Paris the city of lights and romance!”

 

Allura’s cold look falls into a familiar one of irritation.

 

Then Keith looks at Shiro, “you said your parents travel a lot right? We could see them whenever.”

 

“They think I’m dead.”

 

Keith looks a little like he’s been hit, “right...”

 

Lance, Hunk, and Pidge give Shiro the look and he does look like what he said wasn’t actually what he meant.

 

Awkwardly Shiro coughs, “but uh, once we prove that reports of my demise were exaggerated then sure, we’ll need to get Sam and Matt home anyway right?”

 

That gets everyone’s attention, “right!” Pidge shouts.

****

 

 

The mood is completely spoiled by the announcement of an intruder.

 

“This is what we get for trusting a Galra,” Allura says, the image on the screen is of a crazy space ninja.

 

“Hey isn’t that the outfit you wore when we rescued Shiro?” Hunk’s voice rings out.

 

Shiro narrows his eyes a bit trying to remember, his rescue from the Garrison is a bit hazy but he remembers the mask, he’d panicked until the face beneath it had been Keith’s.

 

He should have known better right then, he should know better now.

 

“Yeah that’s a blade,” Keith supplies.

 

“They snuck on board, Paladins capture them. Keith, you stay here, I don’t want any conflicts of interest.”

****

 

 

Keith slumps in one of the chairs watching as the figure takes down each of the Paladins until he gets to Shiro.

  
Shiro pulls his strike at the last second. The mask dissolves and Keith runs out of the bridge, ignoring Allura’s orders.

****

 

 

Allura shouts to Shiro’s communicator, “I want him secured.”

 

“Isn’t that a little unnecessary princess?”

 

“You know as well as I what the Galra are capable of Coran.”

 

“And if that really is one of the people who raised our red paladin?”

 

She doesn’t say anything but she doesn’t rescind her order.

****

 

 

Shiro finishes securing Ulaz’s hands and to his credit he apologizes for it.

 

Pidge looks at him, “he’s gonna be pissed.”

 

Ulaz looks slightly confused, “I am fine, I understand the princess’ reservations.”

 

Pidge looks at him with a smile that spells trouble, “you’re not who I meant.”

 

Then someone shouts “dad!”

 

Pidge steps aside, Lance jumps out of the way to avoid being bowled over.

 

Ulza’s eyebrows shoot upwards when there’s suddenly a mass of Keith leaping into him.

 

“Keith!?” the Galra sounds, incredulous and slightly choked, “how? You were on Earth?”

 

Shiro’s not seeing a Galra anymore, nor a Blade, just a very worried father. Then another memory comes unbidden to mind, Keith crying in his own arms after a nightmare that even a trip through the halls of the barracks hadn’t woken him from.

 

Nightmares Shiro himself is now all too familiar with, nightmares Keith grew up with.

 

He’s snapped out of his trance when he hears, “why are your hands tied up?”

 

It’s the coldest and angriest he’s ever heard Keith, that includes when he’d had to break up near fights between Keith and other cadets.

 

_Shit_

****

 

 

“You have no right!”

  
“I have every right, this is my castle!”

 

“This is my _dad_ , how would you- You of all people should get it.”

 

The screaming has gone for almost ten minutes straight and Lance still can’t hear everything, stupid Altean doors.

 

“You lied to us, you lied to us, endangered us, and now expect us to put our faith in someone who sneaks around! Hardly.”

 

Coran and Ulaz are both talking but they’re keeping reasonable tones so it’s impossible to make out.

 

“Pidge do you think you could get us better sound?”

 

“If I had time to get my equipment.”

 

Hunk sighs, “too bad, we really should have seen this coming and prepared accordingly.”

 

“This does not seem like a good thing we are doing,” Shay seems hesitant.

 

“We are spying on our brother Shay, are you telling me that you’ve never done that?” Pidge asks.

  
Shay’s guilty expression says more than enough, some things transcend species boundaries.

 

They are so consumed by this that they almost miss Keith’s voice rise slightly and some colorful, Galran? It sounds like Galran, they don’t miss the roar that follows, no one misses the roar.

 

“Cub, while I am grateful that you feel the need to defend my honor so completely this-”

 

Someone clears their throat behind the group and Shiro is looking down at them, disappointed dad face in full effect.

 

Everyone but Lance smiles guilty and apologetically.

 

Lance however is the mouthy sibling, because of course he is, “what are you going to do to stop us?”

 

“Tattle, I will tattle so hard, I will tattle straight to Keith and Allura, I bet it would get their minds off of the Galra thing pretty fast. Finding something new to be mad at.”

 

The group scatters, because Keith and Allura on the same side in being pissed off? No, nope, nu uh, not happening.

****

 

 

Allura is somewhat stunned with the way Ulaz managed a single roar and some stern words to bring Keith down.

 

She doesn’t fail to notice the tears shining in the Red Paladin’s eyes, and she remembers a time now ten thousand deca-phoebs past. Alfor raising his voice once to get her attention and stop anger, then calmly talking to her until she’s calmed down.

 

Keith buries his head into his father’s chest, and though it’s awkward because Ulaz’s hands are bound he returns his son’s hug.

 

She holds herself, Coran places an arm around her shoulders.

 

“Perhaps we can compromise, we unbind his hands, Shiro can escort him through the castle so he’s being watched. How does that sound?”

 

Allura doesn’t like it, any of it, not the Galra, not the desperate pleading look Keith sends her, not the fact that he’s Galra. Especially not the fact that she knows what the right choice is and doesn’t need her father’s voice in the back of her head telling her so.

 

“Fine, go get Shiro.”

****

 

 

Coran finds him standing in the middle of the next room with the rest of the paladins trying to look busy. The sense of guilt in the room is almost physical.

 

Coran laughs to himself. Ah the more things change, the more paladins will always be a nosy bunch.

 

“Shiro, the princess has asked that you escort our guest around the castle.”

  
Shiro nods, “hey Hunk, why don’t you whip up something for us all.”

 

Hunk seems to want any excuse to leave the room, Keith decides to follow him because he probably knows Galra tastes better than anyone.

 

Now that everything’s in the open, well almost everything, hopefully they have a shot to build an even stronger bond than before.

****

 

 

Ulaz couldn’t help but notice the tense awkwardness of the walk around the castle, “it took you a great deal of time to come. Shiro.” He had to stop himself from saying Champion, because well, now there’s a name and no doubt it’s attached to someone who doesn’t want to be reminded of their time in the Arena.

 

“Sorry, I don’t remember most of my time in space,” Shiro says quietly.

 

 _Ah_ _that makes sense,_ “please, don’t be troubled, I should apologize, not merely for sneaking up on you, I wanted to test your capabilities, as does our leader. Though had I known about Keith’s presence here I would have been more formal in my introduction.”

 

Shiro laughed a bit, “yeah, we didn’t really find out about Keith until just now either.”

 

Ulaz frowns deeply at this, then sighs, “I heard, I thought I’d taught him better but I suppose not.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, I think by the time we were in space and he was comfortable he was scared of us rejecting him.”

 

There’s more to it, Ulaz raises an eyebrow.

  
“Alright you caught me,” Shiro says wryly, “back on Earth Keith and I were close, friends, and I knew him for about three years, uh, deca-phoebs, so finding out about this is kinda, weird, and...”

 

“You were a prisoner of the Galra for a year of that, the race Keith is at least partially a part of. Not to mention what you endured, it is a mercy you’ve forgotten.” Because Ulaz does know, Ulaz was technically a part of it, even if he saved Shiro in the end the things he did for the Drule eat at him still.

 

“You know about it?” Shiro’s voice is suddenly hopeful.

 

“It’s not the worst, but it is bad Shiro, I will answer whatever you ask but on one condition.”

 

Shiro’s eyes narrow in suspicion, “and that is?”

 

“I want you to seriously think about it, some of those memories, it’s a blessing you don’t have them.”

 

Shiro nods, “okay, but I have other questions.”

 

“About Keith?”

 

Shiro nods again, “you raised him right?”

 

Ulaz sighs, “yes, and I suppose this may not seem like his best moment but I am proud of him.”

 

“You should be, secrets aside, he’s loyal, smart, and willing to risk his life for others.”

 

Ulaz smiles, “yes, that has always been him, he’s given me a few near heart attacks for it.”

 

Shiro seems to emphatically agree, “first time he really told me anything about you and Thace he threw himself out of a tree while doing it.”

 

“That’s not too bad, he knows how to fall without killing himself. When he was ten he stole a fighter and did a circuit around the base.”

 

“That’s bad, but not too ba-”

 

“Our base orbits a blue giant between two black holes.”

 

Shiro stops, and just kind of stares.

 

“Now you know why my mate and I grounded him for three phoebs.”

 

“I guess I know why he was so good in the simulator when we met.”

 

Ulaz chuckles, “oh?”

 

“Yeah, Keith joined the Garrison’s school program then the Garrison, our space division, later. Basically shocked everyone with both how little he knew about Earth, and how much he knew about medicine, and flying. And fighting since sparring against him turned into a favorite punishment detail with the instructors.”

 

“Yes, even by Galra standards he’s had a nontraditional upbringing.”

 

Ulaz is quiet for a moment, “I was worried when Kolivan told me he was sent to Earth. Even as I was leaving he still had some… Issues.”

 

Shiro looks at him, “nightmares?”

 

Ulaz nods, “so he still gets them.”

 

“He self-medicates, I’ve tried to get him to stop, only had a really bad one once, bit me when I tried to wake him.”

 

Ulaz seems shocked, “Never had to deal with one that bad.”

  
“Pretty sure being stuck in a new place didn’t help, I’m just glad I found him instead of someone else.”

 

“I’m glad he’s had someone looking out for him.”

  
“I wasn’t there for a fourth of that, if there’s anyone who you should thank it’s Pidge, the two of them were clearly there for each other.”

 

Ulaz pats his shoulder, “do not sell yourself short, my son does not attach to people readily, no Galra does, if he let you see him at his most vulnerable he trusts you. So I’ll trust you.”

****

 

 

Shiro has to take a minute, because, Keith lied to him, but Ulaz said he trusts him, Ulaz could be lying but it didn’t seem like it. Keith he could tell when he was lying to him, but he also never really pushed.

 

As though sensing his distress Ulaz speaks again, “before we reach the kitchen, which I am dubious about, my son is someone I love dearly, but he and kitchens have not been very good together. I have to know, Red Paladin?”

 

Ulaz seems to be very worried but also positively glowing with pride.

 

“Yeah, it’s a story alright,” he decides to leave out the part where Keith launched himself into space.

****

 

 

Coran is hopeful about this alliance, that once Allura can calm down and put on her diplomat face on they can move past this, at least partially.

 

That is until the scanners pick up a robeast coffin heading towards the castle.


	9. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight, nd escape, and a battle of wills. With some fluff in between for good measure.

The coffin breaks apart as it exit’s hyperdrive and the robeast that comes out is both terrible and elegant, long sinewy arms unfold along with a tail. A thin membrane stretches from arms to tail tip. It doesn’t have a face, it looks delicate drifting like a kite through space.

 

As it nears Xanthorium clusters they settle into an orbit around it. The castle starts to pick up a gravitational distortion around the creature.

 

Oh that is not good.

 

Allura narrows her eyes, “how did it find us?”

 

Coran doesn’t have the answer, what he does have is the alarm and intercom system.

 

“Paladin’s a robeast has just appeared in the system, get to your lions!”

****

 

 

“You were tracked?” Ulaz sounds panicked.

 

“You mean you called it to us.”

 

“My son is out there fighting for his life do you think I would really do this!?”

 

Ulaz is pissed, and honestly Coran can’t blame him.

 

“Allura, however this happened is a question for after the battle.”

 

He doesn’t miss Ulaz dash out of the bridge.

****

 

 

Fighting is near impossible, the thing just keeps pulling more crystals in front of it, using the explosions to nullify Voltron’s lasers and keep them at a distance.

 

The thing swoops downward in an arc and launches some of its volatile shield at the giant robot.

 

They barely manage to dodge in time.

 

The creature draws in more clusters creating a small storm or them with the gravity keeping them stable.

 

A whirlwind of explosive crystals is launched at them.

 

Voltron is decimated, sitting dead in space the shield knocked well away from them. If they hadn’t raised in time none of them would be alive.

 

That’s when something jolts through the lions, it’s coming from Red, Keith’s distress screaming through the bond. Distress and loss.

 

“Paladins,” Ulaz’s voice announces over their communicators, “the universe needs you.”

 

They see it, Ulaz’s strange ship diving towards the monster.

 

Then several things happen, Voltron breaks apart.

 

Ulaz’s ship is violently thrown off course by the Red Lion ramming it.

 

The robeast fires another burst that likely may have killed them.

 

Though with Voltron seperated into five smaller targets the second whirlwind misses completely.

 

Red tears into Ulaz’s ship, extracting the Galra.

  
“I have a plan,” Shiro says, “form Voltron!”

 

They do so again, and again the monster pulls clusters to itself, “if Ulaz is willing to give up this ship I say we put it to good use!”

 

Voltron grabs the ship and the robot soars up ward hurling the ship down into the spiral of crystals.

 

It meets the singularity around the beast; the two gravity wells war with each other and the crystals lose the momentum of their precarious dance.

 

The beast looks fragile, and it is, incredibly fragile, the explosions of the crystals and competing gravitational pulls tears it apart in a spectacle of destruction.

 

At first it looks like the thing might implode but then the explosive energy manages to overpower the gravity and streams of super accelerated matter spiral outward and like a pinwheel firework it careens off into the distance before fizzling out.

****

 

 

Keith is livid, he doesn’t trust himself to speak until they dock in the castle.

 

“What the quiznaking fuck were you thinking back there you ass?”

 

Ulaz looks completely flabbergasted, “I was trying to protect you.”

 

“Well look who did the protecting.”

 

Ulaz at least has the decency to look suitably chastised.

 

“I’m telling Kolivan you lost the generator.”

 

Ulaz nods, “that’s fair.”

 

“And I’m telling dad about that stunt you tried to pull.”

 

Ulaz flinches that’s, actually more terrifying than Kolivan finding out he let a near one of a kind gravity generator be used as an improvised weapon.

****

 

 

Keith’s in his room, screaming into a pillow, because what else can he do? He almost lost another father!

 

The doors to his room hiss open and there’s pressure on his bed, he doesn’t care who it is he’s been crying, it’s obvious he’s been crying so he’s not looking up at anyone right now.

 

“I can come back later if you want?” It’s Shiro’s voice, and okay, maybe there’s one person he’s willing to see right now.

 

“Shiro wait! I’m sorry! I mean-” Shiro just smiles and holds up his hand.

 

“I wanted to talk about yesterday. Keith, I’m not mad. Well not anymore. Yes you lied to us, and it hurt, but I know firsthand what Zarkon’s Empire does to families, and so do you.”

 

Keith looks like he’s about to cry again, “Keith, you’ve apologized, but more than that, you’ve shown us how much you trust us, you put not only your life, but as of today your family’s life in our hands. I realize that now, and I want to say, thanks, and I’m sorry it took me this long to get it.”

 

Keith just clings to Shiro and wrapping his arms around the bigger man, Shiro makes calming and soothing noises and strokes Keith’s hair until he feels the deep rumble of Keiths purr in his chest.

 

“I’m sorry, my family has done so much to you, and you still treat me like I’m human.”

 

Shiro frowns at him, “Keith, I don’t like that kind of talk, and Ulaz has done noth-”

 

Kieth cuts him off with a bitter laugh, “unfortunately the family I have no control over being a part of is who I mean. Shiro, I’m the son of Krolia of House Hazar, the grandson of its Head, she’s an Archduchess of the Empire. House Hazar is one of the greatest economic powers in the universe, and one of the most extensive networks of slavers. It’s almost certain my family made money off of selling you to the arena, Pidge’s family to the workcamps.”

 

His hands tighten, like he’s afraid Shiro will vanish if he lets go.

 

Shiro rubs slow circles into Keith’s back, “they aren’t your family, I’ve met your family, and you lied to us to protect them. Whatever Hazar might be to you, family isn’t it.” Then before Keith could protest Shiro draws him back to his chest and holds him close, unwilling to let him feel responsible for the monsters he’s related to.

****

 

 

Ulaz leans back against wall of the lounge, Hunk retreats to the kitchen to finish the meal that was interrupted. He really doesn’t feel like he can eat right now.

 

He chuckles thinking back to the time Keith stole the fighter to prove he could fly on his own. Even Thace, who tried his best to be the fun parent since he was often away, had come down on the kit.

 

He remembers the evening meal with Thace fretting over how to keep this from happening a second time.

 

Ulaz remembers that conversation well, him smirking at Thace, “well aren’t you just a responsible adult.”

 

Thace looking at him aghast for a moment, “Oh Ancestors; you’re right! Uwaah, when did that happen?” He screamed into his hands.

 

Ulaz patting his back, “there, there, maybe I was stretching it at responsible.”

 

To think that perhaps out of the two of them it was Thace that was the more responsible, thinking back to how his only thought had been to protect his cub, and yet, Keith must have felt the same way because he did the same.

 

There’s a warm drink placed in front of him, the male Altean, Coran was his name, sits opposite him.

 

“Thank you,” Ulaz sighs.

 

“That was pretty reckless.”

 

“My son was in danger, I guess I didn’t think.”

 

“I understand that, I’d probably do something similar if it were Allura out there.”

 

“What exactly is your relationship to the princess?”

 

Coran’s face takes on a wry and mischievous expression, “likely not to dissimilar to your and our Red Paladin. I was Alfor’s chief adviser, but I was also his closest friend outside of the other paladins.”

 

He sighs, “I love Alfor like a brother, even now that he’s gone, he was a good man, a capable leader, and quite possibly one of the most brilliant scientists I have ever met. Honerva being the other. But among those things he was not left a great deal of time to be a father, I am glad that Allura’s memories of him are mostly happy, but until she was able to join him as an adult he was rarely as present he should have been. Especially after the war broke out.”

 

Ulaz nods, “it’s difficult, when you consider someone your child or equivalent but know that you aren’t truly their parent. I never met the boy’s father but I know Krolia will want to be there for him when she returns.”

 

He smiles tightly, “we’ll probably need to find a new leader when that happens.”

 

“Well I know that no matter how you see yourself he clearly sees you as his father. Incidentally why would his mother returning affect your leadership?”

 

“Because the only way Krolia would have stayed undercover was if she thought Keith was safe on Earth, which means our leader, Kolivan, hasn’t told her about Keith yet. She’s going to kill him when she comes back.”

 

Coran starts laughing, “I think I see where he gets a lot of himself if that’s the case.”

 

Ulaz smiles into his drink, then he frowns, “you know I cannot entrust the location of our base to you until we know how Zarkon is tracking us.”

 

Coran’s smile falters but doesn’t dissipate, “us?”

 

“I don’t think my son would ever forgive me if I left at this juncture, he dislikes being separated from those he cares about.”

 

Ulaz looks pointedly at him, “so you and the other paladins better not go anywhere either.”

 

Coran holds up one hand in a solemn gesture the other on his heart, “not on my life. I doubt any of the others feel differently.”

 

“Including the princess? I can tell that no matter how angry he is right now, Keith cares about and respects her.” There’s a lot unsaid attached to that.

 

“Ah yes well, I think her issues with Galra aside something else might be bothering her as well.”

 

Ulaz nods, “father’s intuition?”

 

Coran tugs on his mustache a couple of times, “something like that.”

****

 

 

Allura’s in her room, unable to face any of the paladins, not simply Keith. He’s half-Galra and he’s been with them since the beginning. And yet.

 

And yet, he’s risked his life, dozens of times, he could have betrayed them at any opportunity, he’d been in the castle when Sendak invaded.

 

He’s proven himself virtuous time and again.

 

If Keith’s not a spy then there’s only one way that they could be tracking the paladins.

 

Her, it has to be, she’s an Altean alchemist, the last one, according to Keith the Galra Empire have their Druids, priests that use something that sounds suspiciously like alchemy. Which means they must be able to sense her own energy.

 

Unless she can learn a way to disguise it this will just happen again and again.

 

How can she expect Keith to trust them with the location of his home? Even if she has her reservations about making allies with any Galra, not matter what they might claim.

 

“Ugh,” she groans to herself not a very princess-like sound but she’s alone quiznak, “that attitude is half the reason I’m in this mess. I’m a diplomat, I should be able to handle this!”

 

Yes, make nice, with the Galra, the race that killed her father, twice, and destroyed Altea, and is currently trying to conquer the known universe.

 

_Why does this have to fall on me?_

 

There’s a knock at her door, “go away Coran, I just want to be left alone.”

 

There’s a beat of silence, then Keith says, “It’s uh, it’s not Coran, and may I come in?”

 

Possibly the last person she wants to deal with, “no.”

 

She can’t keep putting this off, she sighs, “give me five doboshes first.”

 

“Okay.”

 

The relief in his voice even if she can’t see his face is enough to make her second guess herself all over again.

 

 _No! Diplomat, you can do this, you can meet with one of your paladins; it’s still Keith, still the painfully awkward boy you met on Arus_.

 

“Alright, Keith, I’m ready, sorry to keep you waiting.”

 

He’s in his civilian clothing and while he hides it well his eyes are still a bit red. “I wanted to say I’m sorry, about everything.”

 

There’s more to it, she gestures for him to come in. He hesitates, but eventually squares his shoulders and enters.

 

“No, I am the one who must apologize. I should not be so quick to dismiss allies, no matter how I may feel about them.” The end of that is clipped and chilly, to his credit Keith doesn’t flinch he just stands like this is what he’d been expecting the whole time.

 

_Great opening Allura, bridge between worlds that’s what you are._

 

“That was terribly disingenuous wasn’t it?” She sighs, this is Keith so maybe, just maybe she can try being honest, frank even.

 

“Keith, I will try to be better, but I do not know when, if at all, I will be able to reconcile my feelings about the Galra. Or you being one.”

 

Keith nods, silent and stiff, like a soldier, which she realizes he is and has been his whole life.

 

Has he ever known real peace?

 

“I understand, I’ll-”

 

“I’m not done, because no matter my feelings, the Red Lion chose you, and you are its pilot. While I cannot say that my feelings are unaffected by your heritage, I will try, I may not always succeed, but I will try to see you before I see a Galra.”

****

 

 

Keith looks, well, genuinely shocked, Allura seems to sag a little bit, like that took both a heavy burden and a lot of energy.

 

“Yeah, I get it a little at least, it was actually really hard to work with the Garrison, even if I was undercover.”

 

Allura looks up at him expression of open curiosity.

 

“My father, my birth father, I’m pretty sure the Garrison’s soldiers killed him, that somehow they found out about me being not fully human and that’s why I was sent to the Blade.”

 

Allura’s eyes go wide, it hadn’t occurred to her how a half-alien would be treated or viewed on a pre-spacefaring planet. The reactions of the others might actually be the exception not the rule. Of course they aren’t just any humans, they are paladins.

 

“I’m surprised, though I suppose that’s because I’ve only met you five, and well, the lions are particular. They wouldn’t choose so poorly.”

 

Keith frowns, “Zarkon.”

 

“Was, as much as it pains me to admit it, once a noble warrior, while I do not know exactly how he became the vile creature he is now I know what he was.”

 

“We’ll stop him though, we’ll put an end to the Empire, and we’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”

 

She smiles, tired, wane, but genuine, “it’s all we can do.”

****

 

 

After Coran leaves Ulaz decides to review all the communications he could retrieve from the mobile base before he was, ahem, extracted.

 

Keith’s going to make good on both his promises, he knows that, Kolivan first then Thace, Thace probably isn’t even back from his own mission.

 

He sighs, there’s not much left, Kolivan’s going to be livid, especially if he decides that Voltron isn’t worth the risk of an alliance.

  
Though, he smiles, if Kolivan thinks no one has noticed how fond of the base cubs he’s become he’s fooling himself. The idea of him not supporting Keith at least is absurd. He hopes.

 

“Do you need something?” He asks without looking up, because he knows she’s there, the Balmeran has spent the last half varga debating about whether to talk to him or not.

  
Sure maybe his greeting is curt, but Thace is the people person.

 

“I can leave if you wish...”

 

“No, I’d just prefer if you have questions you ask, it’s a bit awkward you standing over there like that.”

 

She sits opposite him, she’s young, about as young as the paladins, he’s surprised, the idea of a Balmeran in space is a bit of a novelty in and of itself.

 

“Are you truly Galra? Full I mean, I know that Keith is part Galra and part Earthling.”

 

“Full enough to be considered so by our laws. Though my coloration would mark me among the ‘impure.’ Our nobles put a lot of emphasis on that.”

 

He shouldn’t be too harsh, as a species without a home planet the fear of being absorbed and losing themselves genetically is very real. Doesn’t mean he approves of the arranged marriages, the inbreeding, or the treatment of half-Galra. What they’d have done to Keith he doesn’t even want to imagine.

 

His cub would be unrecognizable.

 

“I see, may I ask why you fight them? The other Galra I mean.”

 

“Because it needs to be done, because the Empire is cruel, and stagnant, and evil, if we leave others to fight and not do our part. Well we would truly be the monsters so many see us as.”

 

The Balmeran nods, Ulaz raises a brow “you seem hesitant but you don’t see us that way do you?”

 

She shakes her head, “how can I when Keith risked his life to save Balmera? Besides, Hunk and the others trust him, and you, and I trust them.”

 

He nods, “your Balmera, it was Galra controlled then?”

  
“Yes we grew up under Zarkon’s rule.”

 

“If people like you and I keep doing what we’re doing then I think there’s yet hope for the universe beyond Voltron.”

****

 

 

Coran meets the princess and to his surprise Keith in the hall, he raises a brow, “getting along?”

 

“Yes Coran, I think we all just needed a moment to breathe and talk.”

 

Keith smiles, “you’d know, you’re the diplomat right? I’m going to check on my dad, I want him to know I do still love him, even if I’m pissed.”

 

Allura nods, “I shall see you later then.”

 

“Princess? What’s been bothering you, and I know it’s not simply Keith and Ulaz.”

 

Her face twists, “I fear I may know how Zarkon’s tracking us. I think he may be using my own Altean alchemy against me. His Druids, and his witch may have that ability.”

 

Coran balks, “princess! That’s preposterous, there’s no way!”

 

“Are you certain? You know all there is to know about alchemy, magic, and the quintessence involved?”

 

“Well, no, I’ll admit that...”

  
“Coran, there’s only one way to know for certain. I’ll take a pod, I wont go as far as a wormhole, but if Zarkon tracks it then I know it’s me. Please, I must know if I’m putting them all in danger.”

 

Coran frowns, “at least promise me you’ll be safe.”

 

She hugs him, “don’t worry Coran, if anything happens I’ll call and you can send one of the lions straight away.”

 

If anything happens it might just be to her, and if it does, she wont risk them, he knows her to well.

 

“Are you certain? Could it not be, and I hate to suggest it, but maybe the Black lion?”

 

Allura shakes her head, “I have never heard of a bond working either for this long or over this distance.”

 

“Alright then,” he hugs her and holds her a moment, “be safe.”

****

 

 

The Druids end their ritual, Zarkon growls, “Sylvari system, send Movoro’s fleet to intercept.”

****

 

 

Drifting through space is incredibly dull, particularly since she’s alone and has nothing to do, she’s trying to study up on some of her father’s old alchemy texts, but ten thousand years has left much of the data corrupt.

 

Which is exceedingly frustrating. If she can’t discover a way to mask her quintessence. Well there’d be no way for her to return. So she better find out how to do it.

****

 

 

“Three Galra cruisers just dropped out of hyperdrive!”

  
“Coran, can we outrun them?” Hunk yells.

 

“Not without Allura!”

 

“Where is she?!” Pidge asks clearly annoyed.

 

Coran debates, but if their lives are actually in danger then she’d want them to go.

 

He breaks down and tells them.

 

“Why would she?” Keith stops himself, “augh, dammit, I’ll go get her!”

 

“Keith are you sure?” Hunk again.

 

Shiro nods at him, “go, Red’s the fastest, everyone else get to your lions we buy time!”

****

 

 

Allura feels the Red Lion secure her pod as a lurch and it jostles her out of her reverie “Keith what are you doing?!”

 

“There’s a Galra fleet attacking the castle, we need you to open a wormhole.”

 

_Oh, I guess it’s not me._

*****

 

 

“Why would you think that’s what was wrong?” Shiro sounds genuinely concerned. After she’d gotten them out of there they all wanted an explanation.

 

“Well it seemed to me the only sound explanation,” no one missed the guilty glance she shot to Keith and Ulaz. No one commented on it though.

 

“Princess,” it’s Ulaz who breaks the silence, “I think it may be the Black lion.”

 

“I told Coran there’s never been a bond that worked that well.”

 

“But you don’t know, you don’t know how to mask your own aura, and the lions are beyond even that by light years.”

  
Phrasing it that way she does feel kind of silly, “what is your evidence to the contrary?”

 

Ulaz hesitates, “may I speak to you and Shiro about it in private?”

  
Everyone groans, “c’mon guys, no more secrets!”

 

“It is a deeply personal matter. Please.”

 

There’s another groan but Allura nods.

****

 

 

In the privacy of her chambers, with Coran guarding the door against eavesdroppers, Shiro smiles he’d tattled, and all paladins not named Keith are going to be flying drills.

 

So many drills, drills for days, enough to make their heads explode.

 

Though if he’s honest he can’t really see Keith sitting it out either. Unless Allura decides to assign something especially tedious. Grueling would only make Keith see it as a challenge.

 

“Alright what’s this about?”

 

“Knowing now that Keith is the red paladin I believe that it is possible for the bond to work over vast distance. When he was younger, he’d always talk about a, presence, one he could feel and almost speak to. When he was very young he sometimes would according to the documents sent to us with him. Later I tested him, I found he has the barest ability to sense quintessence, I, his father, our leader and the rest have all done our utmost to keep him away from that. From refining it into anything more.”

 

Allura gasps, “but why? If he has talent it should be allowed to flourish!”

 

Ulaz takes a shaky breath, “because they come for those with talent.”

 

“The Druids,” Shiro’s voice is cold, and yet still full of anger.”

 

Ulaz nods, “we do not know what they do with them, as far as we know there are only ever ten Druids, no more no less. We’ve killed them before though, so we suspect that’s what it is, a conscription of sorts.”

 

He looks up at them with such clear and open desperation, “Keith has a fire in him that I love, and adore, but it means if he knew, he’d want to learn, he’d want to help to do more and they’d target him.”

 

Allura frowns, but nods, “for now I will respect your wishes, but ultimately this should be Keith’s decision. You are right about my abilities, I cannot teach him, especially since the first thing he should learn is to hide himself.”

 

Ulaz lets out a breath, “thank you princess.”

 

“You suspect this presence that Keith’s been connected to is the Red Lion though right?” Shiro asks.

 

Ulaz nods, “okay that makes some sense but not why you’re bringing up Black.”

 

Ulaz looks alarmed, “you have not told him?”

 

Allura wrings her handkerchief, “I had hoped to prevent that betrayal from poisoning two groups of paladins.”

 

She takes a steadying breath, “Zarkon was the original Black paladin.”

 

Shiro looks at her, “come again?”

 

“Zarkon and my father were once very good friends, the best in fact, they were the first red and black paladins.”

 

Her hostility towards Keith makes layers more sense in this context. “I do not know why he betrayed the others, only that he did, and they are dead, he still has the black bayard.”

 

“If he’s the original, then maybe...”

 

“Yes Shiro, what is it?”

 

“It’s always felt like my connection to the lion should be more, like there’s something there, in the bond blocking me. I thought it was just my arm, or the memories, or lack of memories, but it always felt so. Menacing.”

  
Allura scowls, “Zarkon, so he is still connected to it.”

 

“How do we break it?”

 

“You’ll need to connect with on a deeper level than Zarkon, only then can you block his connection.”

****

 

 

Shiro sits in the Black Lion’s cabin, trying to connect with it, there’s something between him and it. He could hear Keith’s anguish during their fight with the gravity beast, but it was muffled, like it was coming from underwater, or from behind a wall.

 

Everyone else had heard it clearly, everyone else knows their lion; even unlocking new abilities. Everyone but Shiro.

 

Zarkon is why Black’s not responding. He’s what it is between them.

 

Shiro calms himself, _patience yields focus._

 

He can feel the lion, feel the bond, feel the thing in his arm, he’s shied away from it until now, but no more. He’s confronted the memories now it’s time to confront the thing itself, that’s just going to cause problems for them it needs to be faced. It’s the thing he can face right now.

 

The lion rumbles around him, and takes off, it takes him through a wormhole, he tries to pull it back, tries to call the others, but nothing works, it’s like the lion is moving on its own.

 

Which, he realizes is exactly what it’s doing.

 

They end up at the ruins of a world, a dead husk of a planet, he can sense, this is home, this is where it was, not born, not yet, this is where Voltron started.

 

“Daibazaal” the word comes unbidden to mind.

 

His arm burns the shape of it twisting, pseudo limbs and half formed faces trying to pull their way out of it.

 

He screams, the pain, the hatred of it, he can feel it clawing inside him, part of him.

 

“You were a fool to come here. Here my power is absolute, my domination of the Lion complete. Here your mind and your body are meat to be rent apart.”

 

Shiro turns and, the figure in front of him, he’s never met him, but he knows him, Zarkon. He looks huge, with his armor fused to his body. It’s the feel of him that’s the worst though. It’s not a simple tyrant that stands before him. No it’s almost like what’s in front of him is a hungering void.

 

A revenant, like those in Earth legends, an unnatural creature both withered with age and bloated on stolen life. Animated long past it’s time.

 

Shiro recoils from him, the thing in his arm stills, he can feel them, whoever they were, looking through his eyes. He can feel their hatred, their loathing mixing with his own. The _thing_ before them, this man stole a year of his life, a year away from his friends. Stole his arm, stole countless lives before that.

 

The person that his arm once was seethes, not only had Zarkon stolen their life, but he’d also turned them into a husk, like Zarkon himself but bound to another without a will of their own.

 

“Zarkon.”

 

“My name can be your epitaph.”

 

Then he draws what can only be the black bayard, he surges forward with inhuman speed. They clash and Shiro is knocked back. Screaming in agony, every time he and Zarkon clash he can hear them. The wailing of countless dead, the lives of whole races.

 

Shiro pushes through it, the energy of his arm lashing out with talons and fangs cutting through Zarkon’s dessicated flesh. Whoever they were Shiro realizes that their form is long lost forgotten, all that’s left is hate, and all that’s left is a weapon. A weapon that hungers for Zarkon’s end.

 

Shiro pulls his arm back the hand morphs into a scythe like blade and swings into the emperor. The wails of those within Zarkon still hit him, but they are muted, buffered from him.

 

“Thanks,” he says to his arm, which feels weird but hey, they’re being helpful.

 

Zarkon grunts in pain, and charges, Shiro’s hand changes again into a great tower shield, Zarkon crashes into it like a wave.

 

“The lion is _MINE_ you are not worthy of it, you were never worthy of it, I took it first!”

 

He sees it, the Lion is showing him images, Zarkon riding with it. The Zarkon of Black’s memories is different than the thing in front of him.

 

He can see the noble warrior, a man who defended worlds. A man who strove to bring justice out of chaos. A man who dove into the violent and dangerous unknown for his wife.

 

A man twisted beyond recognition now, he can feel it, Black’s grief, and pain past the wailing of those consumed by Zarkon, past his arm, past his own loss. Pain of watching, unable to move, unable to fly, as his dearest friend transformed into the worst monster the universe had ever known.

 

Shiro cries out, a call to battle and a wail of mourning and Black roars with him, “you had your chance, you broke his trust! You broke his heart! You are not the black paladin!”

 

“Imposs-” the rest of his words are drowned out by the fury of Black’s rejection.

 

Across the galaxy, Zarkon looks down at the black bayard now inert in his hand.

 

He rounds on the Druids, they look back at him, cold and impassive, “begin again.”

 

“The connection is lost, Haggar requested,” the Druid is cut off by Zarkon striking at it with his secondary weapon, knocking it from its pedestal.

 

The other Druids do not flinch, they merely regard the Emperor, and each other.

 

“Begin again.”

 

They begin again, the fallen Druid crumbles to ash.

****

 

 

Shiro emerges from the lion, he looks tired, beaten and haggard, but he’s alive. He looks relieved, more so than he’s looked in a long time.

 

Keith smiles, Ulaz steps forward, “if you are certain that Zarkon’s bond is broken then I can take you to the Blade.”

 

Keith leans into his dad, home, he’s finally going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho boy another behemoth of a chapter, so there might be a bit of a gap between this one and the next because I'm going to do a little bit of reformatting to 'Rebels' in order to get what I need from it.


	10. Rebels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Homecoming and a risky infiltration op Keith's been stewing on for nearly a year.

_Home_ , Keith thought. His heart pounding in his chest, four long years spent on Earth, not only that, he’s bringing his pride with him. To meet his family.

 

There’s a hand on his shoulder, he looks up to find Ulaz is there next to him, and Pidge elbows him lightly in the side.

 

“Nervous?” She asks.

 

“A bit, not so sure why honestly.”

 

“Same reason Matt was nervous the first time he invited you over probably.”

 

“Matt was nervous about that?”

  
“Yeah, my brother’s the more outgoing one but he’s always been kinda fidgety about inviting people home.”

 

Shiro steps up, “probably true of most people, I know I was nervous about you meeting my cousin and grandma. Even though I knew you needed something other than Garrison food. Growing up in a secret rebel spy base probably just makes that stuff more nerve racking.”

 

Keith takes a breath and lets it out, “thanks guys.”

 

He looks up at Ulaz, who has every reason to be nervous, he’s likely to receive a disciplinary strike over the loss of the ship.

 

“Alright, we’re here,” Allura’s voice is tense, her feelings about the Galra aside this is the first major organization they have the chance of allying with to fight the Empire.

 

“It’s unlikely many will be allowed in, normally it is only two representatives. Though with you in the presence of two established Blade members there’s a chance that this will not be enforced. The group that travels with us should still remain small. Until Keith is confirmed among your number by our leader I’d recommend only sending one or two paladins.”

 

Keith swings an arm over Pidge’s shoulder, “I know I’m bringing Pidge along!”

 

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Pidge hisses slightly.

 

Keith looks down at her and smiles, “did I have a choice about coming over to your place the first time?”

 

“You’ve been waiting for this since we ended up in space haven’t you?”

 

Keith doesn’t answer his smile is more than enough and Pidge realizes with dawning horror he really has made good on his promise to adopt her.

 

“I would also like to send Shiro, as leader of Voltron I believe he is the best representative in this… Unique case,” Allura is poised and dignified and clearly going to wait to negotiate with a Galra organization until she has the home court advantage.

 

Shiro offers what he hopes is a reassuring smile, “I’ll do my best princess.”

 

They exit the wormhole in front of a blue giant and the accretion disk of two black holes. Everyone but Keith and Ulaz’s jaws drop.

 

“Home sweet home,” Keith drawls.

 

“How is anything living here?” Pidge asks incredulous, examining the video feed in front of them.

 

“Well Slav, an engineer who’s been with us for deca-phoebs, designed the gravity engines that hid our mobile communications base. A larger more advanced version is used to hide our main bastion.” Ulaz supplies this to the group, then adds, “The way in is very dangerous and requires advanced piloting skills to avoid the gravity wells and solar flares.”

 

Suddenly a lot about Keith’s skills slot into place.

 

Pidge gets a starry eyed look at the mention of an even shinier version of the mobile base’s engine, “Keith, you grew up here?” She asks wistfully.

 

“Yes?”

 

“You will show me everything.”

 

“Oh, I won’t be a good tour guide, not if you want to drool over Slav’s tech. My brother on the other hand…”

 

Shiro misses neither the sly look in Keith’s eye nor the slightly alarmed look in Ulaz’s, he finds himself both excited and nervous to meet the family that raised the person he’s grown so close to.

 

“Alright everyone, Ulaz, Shiro, Pidge, and I will take Red along the route into the base, it only opens every two quintants so you’re going to need to sit tight for a while.”

 

Allura frowns, “that’s a lot of trust you expect from us.”

 

Keith flinches a little, “it’d be the same no matter who we bring.”

 

Then a hail is given to the castle, “here we go.” Keith sighs, both he and Ulaz tensing slightly.

  
“State your identity and reason for arrival,” the cold mechanical voice announces.

 

“This is Blade Ulaz, I travel with the paladins of Voltron, the red, green, and black paladins are requesting permission to come aboard with me.”

 

There’s a tense pause, “this is both unorthodox and dangerous Blade Ulaz, where is your vessel?”

 

Ulaz swallows, “I will provide my full report to the leader. We will be arriving in the Red Lion.”

 

“Come unarmed.” With that final non-negotiable demand the channel closes.

 

Keith lets out a breath, then gives the group a thumbs up, “sounds like Antok’s the one manning that message. Kolivan would probably make you stick to the two person rule.”

 

“True, Antok’s likely waiting to see all of this unfold.” Ulaz says frowning deeply.

 

“Well, no time like the present.”

****

 

 

The flight in is tense and precise, but Keith handles it like someone who’s flown it a million times, which Pidge realizes somewhat distantly, he probably has.

 

They land on the surface of the cold barren hunk of rock occupying the coordinates Ulaz gave them. Stepping out a portion of the ground beneath them begins to descend, Keith reaches out a hand to steady Pidge and Shiro seems startled but unfazed. Ulaz is a statue.

 

Keith seems to practically be vibrating with anticipation. At the bottom of the drop is a group of about five, what Pidge assumes are Galra, though it’s hard to tell because they are all wearing masks and armor.

 

“Ulaz, you had better have a very good explanation for this grave breach of protocol.”

 

Ulaz nods, “yes, I do, but before my own debrief, I would like my junior to issue his report.”

 

The whole group save the leader looks to each other, the leader simply stands still, appraising the situation.

 

Keith steps forward and removes his paladin helmet, “I would like to report the success of my mission to Earth. The Blue Lion was secured, its paladin located, and, as you can see, so have the other paladins and lions.”

 

The largest of the Galra present turns to look at their leader, his tail is twitching slightly at the tip and he has a tension in his shoulders that seems to imply poorly suppressed laughter.

****

 

 

Kolivan would be lying if he said he hadn’t had a moment of panic when Antok informed him Ulaz was bringing the paladins. The thought that their youngest might have been lost, or worse, killed ate at him.

 

Thinking of Krolia’s heartbreak, to say nothing of his own, he’d spent many deca-phoebs helping to train the boy. Teaching him to survive, the thought that it ultimately hadn’t been enough is like a spike of ice through him.

 

Ever impassive he would wait for confirmation, then for a private time to mourn.

 

What he wasn’t expecting was the red paladin to step forward, reveal himself to be their wayward cub and report, not just the success of both his mission, but that he had secured, or helped secure, all five lions and their paladins.

 

The cheeky little shit, Antok is also clearly way too amused by all of this for his own good. Kolivan remains the neutral and impassive leader, there are strangers present after all. Despite this the war raging within him to lecture the kit’s recklessness and his going dark for phoebs and worrying all of them; and the desire to embrace the boy proud of him for not just for his success, but for coming home safe.

 

He’s also a little mad that Ulaz didn’t technically violate their conduct laws in this case, since Keith is a Blade the other two fall within the acceptable numbers for visitors. Which means that Ulaz decided to indulge his son’s heart attack inducing surprise, which this is, it has the boy’s marks all over it.

 

“I want a full report from both of you, in private,” he turns to Antok “show our visitors to their quarters.”

 

Antok gestures for the others to follow him and marches out of the room. “The rest of you are dismissed.” With that command Kolivan knows every Blade in the quadrant will know what just happened in a few doboshes. Spy organization or not, the Blade are some of the worst gossips he’s ever had to try and corral.

****

 

 

Kolivan is going to handle Keith first, then move onto Ulaz, “why didn’t you contact me when you arrived at the Castle of Lions?”

 

Keith stands at attention, his face a mask, Kolivan would be more proud of it if it wasn’t a tell of its own. “Sir, I had no opportunity, I had only one quantum entangler chip. Further communications were monitored after Commander Sendak attempted his take over. Additionally, we discovered serious system corruption because of the Galra crystal.”

 

Kolivan nods, “in that case I will have your report now. How did you come to join the paladins?”

 

“When I arrived on Earth I joined their space program, or an early schooling program of it. This is how I came into contact with Takashi Shirogane, and Matt Holt, and through them Katie Holt. Takashi, Shiro, became the black paladin, and Katie, Pidge, is now the green paladin.”

 

Kolivan rests his head on his hands, “interesting, what about the blue and yellow paladins?”

 

“Lance and Hunk, both were cadets with Pidge and I at the Galaxy Garrison,” both Keith and Ulaz get to smirk at the name. “They were evidently friends from before the Garrison.”

 

“So all of you had some sort of connection before finding the Blue Lion?”

 

“Correct, Allura has implied that there’s a connection through Voltron, or perhaps Voltron uses the established connection to form the paladin bond.”

 

Kolivan holds up a hand, “leave that line of thinking to Regris and Slav.”

 

“Right, I presume you know about Sendak’s disappearance?”

  
Kolivan nods.

 

“Well he invaded the castle after we destroyed his flagship, we managed to free the castle. Sendak is dead.” Keith lets out a shaky breath and Ulaz puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

 

Concern flickers across Kolivan’s face, “Prorok has been pushing into his territory, probably trying for the Head position of Balor.”

 

“We also liberated a Balmera from the Empire’s control and the princess healed it of its wounding, I will add the details in my written report. We may want to check on it at some point soon. All of this was about a movement, maybe two before we made contact with Ulaz after Shiro regained his memories of his escape. We were attacked by another of Haggar’s beasts, we were forced to sacrifice the gravity engine to destroy it, though that will likely be a part of Ulaz’s report.”

 

Ulaz flinches slightly and Kolivan frowns almost imperceptibly his eyes flicking briefly to Ulaz.”I’m sure it will be quite a story. Are you certain you can no longer be tracked?”

 

“Yes, Shiro has assured me that Zarkon’s connection to the Black Lion was not only his means of tracking us but he has been entirely rejected by it.”

 

Kolivan, nods, “dismissed.”

 

“Leader, when you are next available I have a mission I would like to undertake.” Kolivan eyes him severely but notes the steel in his voice.

 

“We will discuss it when I am finished.”

  
Keith nods and leaves, once he’s out the door and Kolivan is certain down the hall he turns to Ulaz, “what happened to the gravity engine exactly?”

****

 

 

Keith lets out a breath, not that it isn’t good to be home, not that he doesn’t love Kolivan as the teacher and surrogate grandfather he is, but the man still intimidates him when he’s in the role of Leader. There is a line, not always easy to know or remember where that line is but it’s there. The only thing that Keith hopes is he at least gets a moment to spend time with Kolivan before requesting an insane mission that he probably won’t approve. In which case put Kolivan in the role of disciplinarian when he takes the mission anyway, assuming he makes it out, which he might not. If he’s being perfectly honest, he probably won’t, but then the odds hadn’t exactly been good against that last robeast, or getting Allura to accept him, or finding the Blue Lion, or retrieving Red, what’s one more impossible thing?

 

“Pidge,” he smiles at her, she’s in the mess with a group of Blade around her and Shiro. Keith doesn’t even need to hear what they’re talking about to know they’re being embarrassing. “Guys c’mon let them get a breath of fresh air.” Looking for a face he recognizes, “Covax, has Regris been told about my return?”

 

The other Blade looks up at him, “nope, Kolivan or Antok’s the only one who can get to him right now.”

 

“Mission or has he just locked himself in his room with his latest project again?”

 

Covax smiles fondly, “the latter.”

 

“Cool, hey Pidge there’s someone I want you to meet, but I think you’re the only person who can get to him right now. You down for embarrassing an older brother?”

 

Pidge looks bemusedly up at him, “I mean, always, gonna share anything more than that though?”

 

“Nope, this is a surprise for everyone.”

****

 

 

Pidge would be lying if the word “surprise” coming from Keith doesn’t raise her blood pressure, because it totally does and probably will for decades to come. They come to a door in the living quarters area of the base, clearly locked.

 

“Alright Pidge, Regris tends to lock himself in when he’s working on something, he’ll only open this door for Kolivan or Antok.” Keith grins at her, “think you can get in?”

 

She’d be lying if she said she didn’t also tend to do that, though Keith tends to get in no matter what. “Why don’t you do it?”

 

“Regris knows my tricks,” Keith smirks, “he doesn’t know yours.”

 

Okay yeah, she kinda figured, but hey what kind of little sister would she be if a door was enough to stop her. “Alright let’s get this over with.”

****

 

 

Pidge is expecting a number of things, the long work bench cluttered with tools projects and other devices is within line of her expectations. The positive swarm of Galra drones is not. She expected that the Blade just didn’t use them, apparently one of them does, and that one is currently hanging by his knees and tail working on, and her heart absolutely melts at this, a zero point generator prototype.

 

One of the drones floats over to him and he flips down to the floor blade out when he takes note of them. Specifically Keith, who just smirks and says, “Your security needs work.”

 

Regris scoops the smaller male into a hug, “you crazy lil yalmore when did you get back?”

 

“Like a varga ago, this is why you should actually listen when Covax comes to bother you.”

 

Pidge however decides to drift over to the generator, Regris looks alarmed, “uh please don’t touch that!”

 

Pidge ignores him and runs a fond hand over the chassis, “how did you overcome the power issues for this? I mean I know quintessence blah blah, but these things require so much power just to boot up.” Once they do it’s nearly unlimited energy though.

 

Regris makes his way over, “Slav’s design actually, he figured out a way to use a small focused amount of quintessence to create a self-sustaining micro singularity. I haven’t quite gotten there but so far I’ve managed to get the concentrated beam to work.”

 

“Have you tried…?”

****

 

 

Keith lurks by the door allowing all of the jargon to fly right over his head, Regris and Pidge have completely left the building. He almost doesn’t notice Shiro arrive, “I’m planning on introducing them to Matt, and Hunk which I totally will and then it will only be a matter of time before the whole of the universe trembles.”

 

“I think you overestimate their ability to work together,” as though to prove Shiro’s words Pidge and Regris’ conversation has turned into an argument about code encryption. It’s heated but both of them can tell it’s still civil. Mostly.

 

Keith’s expression goes serious, “I have a plan to find Matt, it’s risky though, and I’ll need Pidge’s help but…”

 

“I’m sure she’d jump at any lead you find Keith.”

 

“She won’t be able to be on the ground for the beginning of it. Too risky, even I might end up being captured, or worse.”

 

Shiro looks concerned, “no way I can talk you into finding a better way?”

 

“I’ve already considered it, there isn’t one, not to get the information, I want you to be present when I tell Kolivan, I’ll need the support.”  


Shiro spares one last glance at them, “okay.”

****

 

 

Kolivan looks over them, Keith and Shiro both in front of him. “You are serious about this?”

 

Keith nods, Shiro knows he was right to be worried. He’s distinctly uncomfortable with this idea.

 

“You are suggesting an infiltration of one of the three most well equipped flag ships, a House ship, for the information on one prisoner?”

 

“I could do it, I’m the only Blade present who can.”

 

The way Keith says ‘present’ speaks volumes about a number of past arguments, probably had in this same room. Kolivan sighs; “if I deny this you’re just going to go back to the castle ship and plan this operation anyway aren’t you? Are you okay with this?”

 

The second question is aimed at Shiro, “to be honest sir, I’ve felt responsible for the loss of the crew since Kerberos, if Keith’s plan has a shot at succeeding, then yes. I may not like the risk, but I won’t leave people in the hands of the Empire if I can stop it.”

 

“Which is before you factor in the information we could gain. I doubt Dorma has been inactive since Thace joined Prorok. None of our information about the Hazar Inner Sanctum is up to date.” Keith adds.

 

Kolivan gives him a hard look and while Keith doesn’t say anything his mouth twitches in a way both Shiro and Kolivan recognize to mean that yes Keith will completely disregard them. That if Shiro and Allura say it’s too risky he and Pidge will probably plan and go through with it by themselves.

 

Kolivan rubs his temples, “the only possible way for me to avoid you putting yourself in excess danger is to sign off on this. I want you to know this kind of behavior is unacceptable, and if you try and pull something like this again, paladin or not, I will lock you in your room for a deca-phoeb, or the brig if necessary. I cannot risk a full squad, you realize?”

 

“Of course, you realize there is only one Blade who would make this anymore likely to succeed.”

 

Kolivan taps his desk, “I can’t help but feel like this was as much part of your plan as the raid for information.”

 

Keith is not at all ashamed, if anything, he preens.

 

“I will contact Thace, but after that I cannot do anything else for you, and it will be your job to convince him.”

 

“Fine.”

****

 

 

Once they’re gone Kolivan shakes his head, and looks to Antok, “he really is Krolia’s, and he’s way too like her for his own good. Contact Thace, he should at least know what his kit is planning.”

****

 

 

The group is assembled in the war room of the castle, maybe it held another purpose in the past, diplomacy or terraforming, or something similar. Now it serves the purpose of showing the reach of the Empire and plan their attacks.

 

Allura and Kolivan staring each other with distrust. Allura’s suspicions of the Galra, Kolivan’s deeply ingrained mistrust of acting in the open. “Why should we trust you?” Allura asks, her tone is not as cold as it was with Ulaz or Keith, but any warmth and civility in it is purely a diplomatic formality.

 

“We have remained hidden, our safety has been our secrecy. If we were to ally with you that secrecy would no longer exist. Zarkon would hunt us down, the Druids will institute purges, both Imperial officers and undercover Blade will die. We are the one’s trusting you.”

 

“Why should I concern myself with the lives of a few Galra thugs?” Allura asks a brow arched in challenge. Keith holds his tongue because he knows the two are testing each other. He doesn’t have to like it.

 

“Because the paladins are supposed to help all those in need of it. Zarkon is a threat to the Galra as much as he is a threat to everyone else. He purges his commanders of ‘weaknesses’ weakness such as loyalty to their subordinates, honor in battle, and empathy. He is not a Galra, not truly, he hasn’t been in centuries. Not after all the lives he’s consumed to extend his own.”

 

Allura nods, “yes, I suspected as much when Shiro told me of his fight with Zarkon on the Astral Plane. He described him as filled with the screams of the dead.” She shudders, _how many Alteans has he consumed? How many_ _of his own_ _Galra?_

 

Kolivan’s face actually softens, it’s nearly impossible to see, “too many, but I an understand your unwillingness to trust us without any proof of faith. Keith.”

 

Keith has to resist rolling his eyes, of course Kolivan would frame his plan this way, Shiro just offers him an encouraging smile. He pulls of the schematic of an enormous Galra space station, “this is the flagship of House Hazar, it is one of the best defended positions of the Empire. It is the center point of the Empire’s foremost economic powerhouse, and the lynch pin of its slave trade. House Hazar’s archives likely hold the manifest of every prisoner the Empire has taken and where they were sold off to.”

 

Pidge looks at Keith and he nods, “yes, the Kerberos mission almost certainly passed through their hands.”

 

Lance looks over the display, “so what? We form Voltron, swoop in, and break the whole place apart?”

 

“Not an option, House Hazar’s leadership aside the flagship has civilians, not just slaves, the children and auxiliaries of the House. People with no say in how it runs but have to exist within its systems. If we go in guns blazing many people will die. That’s before they call in the rest of their fleets.”

 

Pidge looks up at him, “then how are we supposed to access the archives?”

 

Keith’s smile turns very strained, “there is one Blade who could theoretically sneak aboard and get access to the archives. The Archduchess of House Hazar, its acting head is my grandmother Dorma. If Thace observes the protocols of the Empire and lets them know I’m coming then I should be able to get in and eventually out with minimal issues.”

 

“Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying you’re some kind of Galra prince or something?” The incredulity in Lance’s voice is almost an insult on it’s own.

 

“No, I’m a half-breed, the most I would get in Hazar is position as a Bloodline Keeper, a fancy title for a glorified breeding stock. I wouldn’t have any rights that the heads don’t deign to give me.”

 

The words shock the whole group into silence, after a moment Pidge tentatively asks “are you sure you’ll be okay there Keith?”

 

Keith looks down at the layout in front of him, “knowledge or death, it must be done no matter my feelings on the matter, even if Matt weren’t my friend too.”

 

There’s conflict in Pidge’s expression, but she does not look away, instead she looks him in the eye and nods, “alright Keith, if you think you can do this we’re with you, I assume you wont be taking the Red Lion?” She waits for him to confirm, “In that case I’ll cloak Green and take her into the nebula the gasses and interference should hide me and the cloak will get me close enough to save your butt if something goes wrong.”

 

“Alright, we’ll need more than that though, if anything goes wrong in this op, we’ll have lost what time we gained by breaking Zarkon’s bond to Black.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Galra Culture fact: This actually goes a bit into the Shattered Mirror version of this AU, even though she's definitely more conservative than either her father or her children Dorma is actually pretty radical. Especially for a noble in the Empire. Taking into account Keith's words here and her actions in Shattered Mirror are meant to show this.


	11. Infiltration and Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the references! Also who's ready for Matt? I know I am!

Keith sighs, because of course Thace isn’t going to make this easy, maybe he should have waited until the op was over to tell him about Ulaz’s stunt. “You’re both trying to kill me aren’t you? Take me down with you in some elaborate murder by suicide.”

 

Keith sighs he gets it, he does Ulaz scared the pants off of him too, but he also has to do this for Matt and for Pidge, and frankly, for himself. “That’s not actually possible dad,” Thace frowns, and it’s the ‘I’m disappointed because you’re pretending to be reasonable while being totally unreasonable with your health’ frown. Keith has to wonder if Thace just learned it on his own, or if Kolivan or Ulaz taught it to him.

 

“Nothing I say is going to talk you out of this is it? I’m going to have to go there and physically restrain you aren’t I?” Thace has shifted his features to the ‘I am worried about you but resigned to my fate of having to help you do the dangerous thing’ frown.

 

Honestly, Keith’s missed this, this rampant worrying and fussing over his health, the hovering, he’s still going to sneak away and do the dangerous thing. But they care, they infuriatingly care, “you know how dangerous this is right? If your cousins find out about you they will be gunning for your life and your head.”

 

“I know, I know what kind of things they’d want from me, but it’s the best bet we have with the ironically least risk.”

 

“Least risk to who?”

 

Keith gives his dad a most unimpressed look, “it’s not like I’ll be joining fully, and I’ll be out before they can finalize their first assassination attempt.”

 

Thace returns the look full force because really they both learned it from Ulaz, “assuming your grandam doesn’t see through you right away and have you locked up for your own ‘safety.’ Keith, I know my mother, she will see through you in a heartbeat and this is extremely dangerous of you to try.”

 

“I still have to, knowledge or death, Kolivan already signed off.”

 

“I know, but I’m coming too, I hope you realize this. Four deca-phoebs has given me the means to sass Prorok into letting me take some leave and you need back up.”

 

Keith smiles, it’s genuine and he touches the screen, Thace returns the gesture, “thanks dad.”

****

 

 

Keith returned to the Castle of Lions later that evening, content that the group has finally managed to get their plan ready and into effect. “So Thace is going to meet us here, the second gate. Most of the extended family, according to him will be out on the front. Zarkon has made finding Voltron priority one for the Empire. The plan is to use that as the pretense for it being safe enough to introduce me as a half-Galra raised in hiding until Thace was sure I could take care of myself.”

 

He looks over the assemblage of people, “Pidge you should be able to remain hidden in the nebula if we need an extraction. Allura if you’re going to wormhole Pidge in do it at the edge of the system or the long range security around the flagship will detect you. Cloak until you’re in the nebula.” Allura and Pidge both nod.

 

  
“I’m not sure how long I’m going to be in for, if my grandam decides to hold me I may have to escape in that case, Pisge it’s up to you to come and get me. Thace will need to get back out of there. I’ll download everything I can on Matt, then begin the upload anything I can on the movements of the Empire to the Castle.” Keith takes a shaky breath, Shiro puts a hand on his shoulder then he looks over the others.

 

“Lance, Hunk we are going to be scouting Empire controlled worlds and conducting hit and run raids at the same time. This should draw additional forces away from the main ship and give them a better chance. Everyone ready?”

 

There’s tension in the room and everyone nods, Lance shoots Keith a look “let’s do this, try not to screw anything up on your end okay?”

 

Keith smirks back, “watch yourself out there Lance, I’d hate to have to come save you from my cousins.”

****

 

  


The wormhole drops the Galra shuttle and the Green Lion at the edges of the system, Pidge cloaks and dives into the nebula. Keith approaches the massive space fortress that is a High House flagship. In another life this place might have meant safety to him, not unimaginable danger. Shaking off the strange nostalgia Keith squares his shoulders and steels himself for what’s to come. The ship is massive, laid out like a wheel with massive Gothic spires along the spokes, many of them topped with ion cannons. The central sphere of the facility is equipped with it’s own solar barrier, if this goes pear shaped then the barrier will close, trapping Pidge outside it and he and Thace inside at the Empire’s mercy.

  
Thace is there at the dock and Keith steps out of his ship, Thace steps over to him, there’s a small twitch in his shoulders but he doesn’t make a movement towards Keith. Keith offers a small nod, and falls in step behind him. Thace whispers, barely audible even with the enhanced hearing of his Galra form, “once this is over kit I am never letting you out of my sight.”

  


Keith smiles a little at this, but otherwise doesn’t even shift his stride.

****

  


  


Lance, Hunk, and Shiro begin their raid on a fleet in the Jaheeva system, a mid level Hazar general is in charge of. Hitting them before backing off to a safe distance to avoid the main dreadnought’s ion cannon. The smaller frigates go down fairly easily the hope is to force them to call for help.

****

  


As they walk down the corridor from the inner annex to the inner sanctum, the hallowed halls of the House that held the dorms for the head, the scions, and honored guests, along with the archives, and the ancestor tree. Keith wonders what it would be like to visit the ancestor tree of his biological family, he’d been to the Blade tree with Regris during Lys and Illyria’s wake. The mourning ceremony for everyone they’d lost when the mobile command fell, blades that hadn’t been returned before Mogor’s death finally laid to rest. Many more lost either to the void or destroyed reentering the atmosphere they’d been lost in.

  


Keith let out a shaky breath hoping those thoughts weren’t some sort of omen. Waiting for them were two Galra and a squadron of sentries. The taller of the two Galra tensed and narrowed his eyes. He was of a scaled variety with two large horns that likely came from some alien parent o n his head. A Zuijin based on his posture and clear training, one of those left behind by the schism. Ulaz’s voice echoes in his mind ‘the Blade’s founder, Marmora, was originally Zarkon’s Zuijin, she saw first hand his corruption and took those loyal with her. The blade was founded to protect the Empire and avenge Zarkon, to destroy the monster that wears the skin of the once good man.’

  


The other wasn’t as outwardly intimidating but Keith found his fur bristling and his posture stiffening, like he needed to impress this tall regal but ultimately fragile looking woman. His uncle steps in, unsubtle in his shielding Keith from his grandam’s gaze. “Mother, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this but I didn’t know who I-” the woman marches past him and shoves him aside Thace flinches and almost seems to resist but Keith steps out from behind him to meet his grandam.

  


Dorma grabs Keith’s face and narrows her eyes, turning his head slightly to one side then the other. “Mom!” Thace yells ready to separate the older Galra from Keith, she slaps his hand away, “one of ours certainly, but not yours Thace, wrong fur pattern, different jaw structure, possibly from the non-Galra parent. And don’t think I didn’t notice stupid boy. He’s Krolia’s yes?”

  


Thace looks extremely small and chastised, Keith however bristles and voice dripping with sarcasm says, “sorry I’m not what you-” before he can finish with shocking strength Dorma pinches his cheeks together cutting off his tirade.  
  


“Never apologize for who you are, even in jest, you are Galra, more importantly you are a member of House Hazar. If I am going to be mad at anyone for your lineage it’s your parents, but what angers me more is that my stupid, selfish children did not think I might want to meet my grandkit!” The last part is said with a great deal of venom directed at Thace who tries (and fails) to hide behind Keith.

  


Keith’s gaze flickers to the Zuijin who, despite not actually changing his expression, still manages to seem amused. _Huh_ , Keith thinks, _and here I thought only Antok could do that._

  


“Come, we have a great deal to discuss Thace, Kvar wait outside the door, if Thace has raised the boy with his mate.” Thace sputters in indignation at this, “then he will almost certainly try to eavesdrop.” Kvar, the Zuijin, gives Keith and appraising look, Keith shrugs unrepentant, if he wasn’t planning on breaking into the archives eavesdropping is exactly what he would have done.

****

  


Their attempts at raiding the system go well at first it seems be that whoever is commanding this fleet isn’t especially interested in attacking them. They hold back and defend their fortified positions. Works for Shiro as they cut apart waves of fighters sent to chase them off. This is, it turns out a bad move, as soon as they get close to the battle cruiser command ship of the fleet another cruiser drops from Hyperdrive and about fifteen frigates follow it, the paladins are surrounded.

  


A face appears on the screen in front of them, it’s an older Galra missing most of an ear and with a scar across a large portion of his face. “Hiya kiddos, sorry about this but I’ve got an important mining operation going here, now I’m really just assigned to keep watch over the equipment. So I’d really appreciate avoiding the whole war death and screaming thing.”

  


Everyone just kind of pauses, the Galra is clearly one who’s survived many battles, but his demeanor and attitude is a hard one-eighty from the usual fare. “And you are?” Shiro decides to ask in lieu of anything else.

  


The Galra just laughs, “I’m the guy with the big ass army at his back.” His face goes hard, “listen, I’ve seen the footage of what you did to my baby bro,” he holds up his hands when Shiro scowls, “now that was fair combat, I don’t like it but you guys pack fire power. I don’t see Red or Green but it’s not like you paladins don’t pull some impressive last minute saves. I like those under my command, you retreat now and we can call this even. Or you could fight me, take out a lot of good men and women, maybe you’ll survive, maybe you wont, but we’ll go down swinging.”

  


Shiro frowns, “no demands we surrender?”

  


The Galra makes an obvious face of revulsion, “Thought did cross my mind, but then I’d get a promotion, and trust me, no one wants that, I don’t want that, you don’t want that. Zarkon might want that but I’m not excessively concerned about his opinions right this instant.”

  


The paladins exchange a wordless glance with each other over the screens then decide to take off if the Galra is so willing to let them go.

****

  


Cossack lets out the breath he’d been holding with a chuckle, “Hazar’s balls, I thought they were actually going to make me fight for a minute.”

  


“Sir,” his lieutenant turns to him, “what do you think they were doing in this system? It’s a ways out from the last sightings of the lions.”

  


“Two of them were missing, this was a distraction, pretty clear one too, send word to Central Command that the Black Lion was spotted in this system.”

  


“Shall we inform them of your suspicions?”

  


Cossack throws up his hands, “I have no idea what they were distracting from, and frankly, it’s not my problem. So unless you want Zarkon to order us to scour the Empire on my hunch...”  
  


His second makes a face similar to the one he’d made at the prospect of promotion. “See that right there is why I’m in the command chair,” Cossack laughs.

****

  


Keith gets into the archive room easily enough but it’s getting into the system that’s hard. The passwords Thace provided him are, thankfully, enough to get into the parts he needs. He finds footage of a raid on a Hazar prisoner transport, the commander in charge of it, Salk, has since been demoted and reassigned. Apparently he’d tried to cover it up. Which failed, now he’s stuck under Ranveig’s command and Dorma even kept the prisoners he’d tried to pad out his failure with. Harsh. Looking through the rest of the data he curses, apparently Emara managed to track down the rebels who raided the transport and is preparing to raid them. Keith starts the download, they need to get there as soon as they can.

  


Too bad there’s nothing on Sam, just that he was taken by the Empire’s forces as a scientific asset. Keith’s a little shocked that Matt was passed over for that, but in this case it’s a small mercy.

  


He can hear someone coming, unwilling to lose the information and unable to escape without making some noise he ducks into an alcove made by two data banks keeping his transponder close enough to finish downloading what it needs. The doors hiss open and Dorma strides into the archive. Keith presses himself deeper into the alcove he’s hiding in when she approaches, unlocking the security on the communication terminal she turns to Kvar, “keep watch I do not want to be disturbed until I’m finished.” Kvar nods and departs.

  


The communication array hums with power and an automated system announces the connection to warlord Ranveig and asks for an identification key. “Archduchess Dorma ID: X37-32-12-Hazar, I demand to speak with my daughter.”

  


There’s a moment before another voice filters into the room, a male’s “Dorma to what do I owe the pleasure,” it’s a sarcastic drawl if ever there was one. Dorma snarls slightly, “Ranveig I rather explicitly stated that this call was for my daughter’s ears not yours.”

  


“Am I not due that knowledge of incoming calls? This is a secure base in hostile territory you know. I know things in central must be oh so easy that-” Dorma cuts him off with a gesture.

  
“Ranveig if you do not get off this channel and fetch Krolia this instant my next call will be to quartermaster Janka. Unless of course you want your supplies annexed and audited for the next ten thousand deca-phoebs, then by all means continue testing my patience.”

  
Keith can hear Ranveig cower before the channel is set to a holding frequency. He has to hold his hand over his mouth and dig his claws into his leg to keep from laughing at the image of a warlord as big and aggressive as Renveig being cowed by the Galra equivalent of a rich little old lady.

  


The voice that enters the conversation next is decidedly female, “mother.”

  


Keith hasn’t heard that voice in years, he’d heard the video meant for Kolivan, seen recordings Thace showed him of their childhood, he had heard her name and her voice sure but to hear her voice in real time. To be this close to being able to speak to her for the first time since he can remember. He stops breathing for a moment.

  


“I should never have allowed you to go to the front,” Dorma snarls.

  


Krolia sighs, “what happened? Did Emara try and take another of the territories or resources in my trust? Or was it Thace’s this time.” Krolia sounds bored and mildly annoyed.

  


Dorma growls and though he can’t see it the intake of breath from his mother indicates that she’s on edge now, something about Dorma’s expression must have become dangerous. “Idiot girl, I let you out of the House’s reach for barely twenty deca-phoebs and you manage to jeopardize your standing in not just the House but the entire Empire.”

  


“Mother I have no idea what you’re-”

  


Proving the vicious warlords aren’t the only people Dorma talks over she interrupts Krolia. “Your brother brought a guest to visit. His nephew, his decidedly half-blood nephew.” The venom in her voice is enough to stop Keith’s heart and he’s just overhearing it.

  


Dorma heaves a tired, and almost heartbreaking sigh, “why? Did you not think that maybe I would like to have known I have a grandkit?”

  


Krolia’s voice is quiet and defensive, “really? You would call a _beliak_ grandkit? I thought that wasn’t fashionable.” Her voice has an edge of bitter sarcasm that Keith picks up on but hearing the word spat by her still hurts.

  


Dorma’s head snaps up, “are you being facetious? Are you trying to hurt me? Or is that what you really think of your son? Because if it is you are not welcome in this House, your brother can hold the scion position all by his damn self.”

  


There’s a long moment of silence before Krolia speaks again, “your serious? You just met him and your serious?” Her voice is stunned, awed even.

  


“Everything I do I do for this House, and for you two, you think I wouldn’t do the same for your son? You really think that little of me?” Dorma’s gearing up for a fight and this time Krolia interrupts.

  


“What was I supposed to think mom? I can’t tell what you actually believe on any given day and what’s done to curry favor with Zarkon and the other Houses?” Keith risks a glance and sees her, his mother, he aches to run out and talk to her but his mission and Matt’s life depend on him staying hidden. His mother runs a stressed hand through her hair pushing her bangs away from her eyes. “He shouldn’t even be out here, I left him with his father, I didn’t want him involved. Not because of you mom, not, not just because of you, I know we have our differences, I just, I didn’t know where he would stand with you. But I do know where he’d be with Emara and the others, uncle Ylvek for example...”

  


“My younger brother is dead Krolia, killed in battle by Voltron above a Balmera.” Keith flinches, there’s both hurt and relief in his grandam’s voice.

  


“Mom, I didn’t know I’m sorry.”

  


“It’s fine, it was honorable combat, Prorok owes us reparations now, and now my” she takes a breath and even Keith can hear it’s shaky, “my stupid, short sighted brother wont tear this House apart trying to kill your son.”

  


“Is he...” Dorma shakes her head, “I do not want Thace bringing him here, he’s been raised outside the House, clearly I didn’t give your brother enough credit. Though I think I should be giving that credit to his mate.”

  


“Thace’s mated?!” His mother’s voice is shocked and Dorma laughs, honestly laughs, it’s a warm sound.

  


“He hasn’t told me but it’s fairly easy to tell, he’s terrible at keeping secrets so someone’s been coaching him. Clearly someone capable in the game of politics.” Keith can’t help but smile, Ulaz is pretty good at that kind of thing but it’s probably Kolivan who taught Thace the best of it.

  


She sighs and the life and warmth of her earlier laugh is gone, “I want you to come home, I want you here even if just for a few quintants, I want to know what kind of man you fell for to make you start a family. I can’t say the House is safe for him now but I would also like to get to know my grandkit.”

  


“I’ll-” Krolia sighs, “I’ll try, I can’t promise you, my work here, it’s important, I’ll tell you more if, when I can get there.”

  


Dorma nods, “thank you.”

  


The device turns green signaling the download is complete and Keith decides that whatever else the two need to discuss, he’s been here too long already. Ducking into a vent he makes his way to the outer hallway.

****

  


Returning to the main hall some of the tension Keith notices in Thace’s shoulders eases out. “Sorry, I got waylaid by her Grace,” he whispers. Thace makes a rueful expression, and dusts Keith’s shoulders, “that explains the mess cub.”

  


The two wait, “when can we expect to get an extraction?” Keith asks fiddling with the collar of formal tunic he’s stuck in.

  


Thace flinches a little, “until her Grace decides to release us.”

  
As if summoned Dorma enters with Kvar in tow, elegantly she sits down at the table laid out Thace and Keith follow behind her as is proper. Servants begin to pass out food, the atmosphere is tense and awkward. Kvar stands behind her, she looks, Keith notes both relieved and more tired than before. Kvar seems to note this as well because he seems on high alert to her needs. “Thace, you have a great deal of explaining to do according to your sister the boy should be on his homeworld with his father. I would very much like to know how he ended up in your care.”

  


Not an unreasonable question, nor one they are unprepared for, “he likely would have been had his father not hit some trouble.” Thace pulls up a video on a display, he gives it to Dorma, anything that might incriminate him or the Blade was removed, and he has seen the video. He still gets flashes of his father’s tear streaked face as he was taken from Earth. He stills as Dorma views the image.

  


She glances over at him, then to the video, “I shall look it over later.” Thace looks surprised but doesn’t question it. Keith narrows his eyes but says nothing. “How long are you able to stay?”

  


“Prorok gave me two quintants, though Keith has to get back to the outer Empire by next quintant.”

  


Dorma looks at Keith he shrugs a small amount, “they don’t question my blood status there and it’s easier to avoid talking about it. Trade off is I’m pretty low ranking.”

  
“I could try to get you a new position, Prince Lotor is always looking for capable people in his sectors.” The suggestion is harmless but it almost causes Keith to shudder, Prince Lotor’s court is impossible to infiltrate. The Prince’s father has tried many times, meaning Lotor is always on high alert for spies and compromised individuals. He deals with such things harshly.

  


“I’m alright, it’s hard work but I’m happy, I have friends over there, I’m not expected to be handed over as a trussed up sex slave to hopefully benefit people I barely know.” Thace looks at Keith in horror, Kvar stiffens, Dorma holds up her hand.

  


“We do what we must to survive, we always have, I hope one day you can understand that.” The words are calm and mild but they piss Keith off.

  


“What we must? How is enslaving every species we come across a ‘must’ how is ripping apart living sapient organisms for crystals we could just as easily replace? Zarkon is consuming the universe, he’s feeding worlds through a shredder for a benefit that might not last another ten thousand deca-phoebs. Billions of deca-phoebs gone in barely a fraction of that time.” Thace is sitting open mouthed, Dorma puts down her fork.

  


“You understand nothing child!” she snaps. “We are a people without home, without country, in the depths of space we are forced to conquer. Without it our very species would die. Without the monitoring of bloodlines we would be out bred. Without taking we would starve. Zarkon foresaw this, that is why he is our leader, that is why we follow him.”

  


“We aren’t that anymore, we haven’t been for a very long time, the fact I exist means we aren’t in much danger of being out bred. We have colonies worlds were we are or were the only sapient species we’re… are you laughing.”

  


Thace and Kvar are both staring at Dorma, Thace with open shock, Kvar with mild concern. “You couldn’t know this child but before she left your mother and I had this exact argument,” she shakes her head, “there is no doubt who’s you are. Maybe her idealism will be good for our House, if not it’s survived my father I can imagine it will survive your mother.”

  


After that the tension around the table dissipates somewhat with Thace steering the conversation to more politically neutral topics. At the end, in spite of everything she does still hug Keith, “do not be a stranger, I know you don’t need your old grandam pulling strings for you but I have been kept outside of your life for too long already.”

  


Keith doesn’t let himself relax until he’s out of the system and rendezvous with Pidge, he opens a channel, “we need to go to these coordinates right away. My cousin is preparing to raid the stronghold where your brother is being sheltered.”

****

  


Lance walks into the archive with his lunch and a surprisingly good space equivalent of lemonade, “apparently they found Matt but Pidge and Keith had to go straight there. Something about a time crunch.” It’s then he notices the data pad, “sup? Research?”

  


Allura looks up at him as though just noticing him, “Lance? When did you get back?” Then realizing he’d come fully into the lounge and had set down both food and drink. “Oh sorry, yes I was distracted with this.” She waves the data pad in the air with resigned frustration, “Ulaz was right I am not trained enough. My foolish decision to leave put you all at risk, my father built the lions and I hadn’t even considered that one might still have held it’s bond with it’s former paladin… Clearly I need to brush up on my alchemy.”

  


She tosses the data pad in disgust, “so much of it has been lost, corrupted with age or simply not recovered before Altea’s fall. I may never repair it, I may never be strong enough to go toe to toe with one of these druids.”

  


Lance sits in front of her and looks at the pad, “you will, you’re strong, smart, and stubborn you’ll figure this stuff out even if you have to rediscover it.”

She looks at Lance who once he notices his cheeks color and he takes a sudden very intense interest in the data pad. A pity he doesn’t show this side to the others more often, she thinks to herself, there’s a definite charm to it. “You’re right, hope is not lost so long as I don’t give up, thank you Lance. Now if only Oriande were real then I’d have a place to start.”

  


Lance looks at her small slightly dopey smile on his face which shifts to confusion, “what’s Oriande?”

  


“Hmm? Oh, it’s supposedly the mystical realm from which all Altean alchemy comes. Lost centuries before the creation of the Lions, it was a myth during my father’s time.” She says picking up a second data pad, letting Lance look over her original.

  


“Oh sort of like Atlantis on Earth,” he says.

  


“Atlantis?” Allura can’t help be curious, her diplomatic training and passions makes any information about other cultures a point of fascination for her. Earth is one that has never been cataloged or studied. Maybe hearing some of it’s myths would help take her mind off her frustrations.

  


“Yeah, it was supposedly a city or small continent with very advanced magic or science or whatever you believe before a disaster sank the whole thing into the ocean.” Lance looks enthusiastic to be sharing this particular tale. “It’s funny the castle ship is actually like something out of the stories.”

  


She can’t help but consider the first blue paladin and his own people. His people would have been the ones to decide where to send the lion after he’d been slain by Zarkon. “There are similarities there yes, though that sounds a bit more like a Nalquodian city. They were amphibious and would submerge their cities for defense. The first paladin for the Blue Lion was among their number.”

  


“Huh, I think Blue remembered something like that...” Lance seems deep in thought, she’s glad that he’d formed such a strong connection to his lion. To be able to hear her thoughts as early as their escape from Earth was sure sign that their bond was strong and healthy.

  


“Hard to tell what Blue thinks sometimes though,” he continues, “even after I realized she was the presence out in the desert she’s managed to stay pretty mysterious.”

  


So he had sensed her, as her paladin this was good, and may confirm somethings that she was starting to suspect. Between Keith’s possible gift, Shiro combating Zarkon in the Astral Realm, and now this, perhaps the paladins grow in more ways than simply deepening their bonds with their lions.

  
“Lance, I think I may have an idea, but I will need your help.”

****

  


Dropping out of hyperdrive Pidge immediately cloaks, because there’s a cruiser, a small fleet of frigates, a positive storm of fighters and what look like orbital cannons around the small planet that they’re approaching. “We’re too late,” Pidge’s face fills with horror and Keith puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “no we’re not, this is a blockade, this is to keep anyone from escaping while they comb through the planet, they’re trying to capture as many as they can. Something tells me the people here have valuable information. Or there’s something else on the planet Emara doesn’t want to risk destroying.”

  


Pidge nods, “we’ll need a plan then, I can get us down there, but I don’t know if it’ll be unseen. The cloak disguises visual light I can’t hide the lion’s energy signature.”

  


“So we’ll need to get down and figure out a way out then?” Keith hums, then takes on his more Galra looking appearance. “I have a plan.”

****

  


Sneaking down to the planet had been easy, the orbital cannon spotted their energy trail but reacted too slowly to fire. “Alright we’re in, now we just gotta find the rebels before the Galra and get them out before the Galra find us. I’ll distract the guards and get them to tell me where they’ve already searched by posing as reinforcements. Then we copy the hunter frigate’s ID signal, use the Hazar cipher I picked up from the flagship and rocket out of here to our wormhole before they can catch up to us.”

  


“You make it sound easy,” Pidge says acidly.

  


“Oh no, I’d rather go hunting through a weblum for scaulrite than do this. It’s very likely we’re going to die.” Keith actually sounds a bit excited and Pidge is now sure without a shadow of a doubt that he’s insane.

  


“Let’s get this over with,” Pidge groans, the things she does for family.

****

  


  


The drop goes about as well as could be expected, they managed to sneak in, Keith posing as lieutenant, the highest ranking ground trooper. “Alright, let me see what we’re dealing with, how many rebels did you say we’re searching for?” The ranking lieutenant gives a beleaguered sigh, “you must be new, because Emara only told us to find a base, she never gives out specifics until the plan’s in motion. Less likely for enemies to get the info, according to her, personally I think it’s to keep us all on our toes. She likes doing that sort of thing, that and live fire drills.”

  


Keith winces in sympathy briefly remembering the time Allura thought it would be a fantastic idea to test the paladin’s ability to dodge while being shot at. “You better take me to the bridge then, I’ll have a sentry review the archives and we can get on our way faster.”

  


His host nods and smiles, “and avoid getting bitched out by the commander good thinking.” On their way out Keith gives Pidge a signal behind his back and she makes her way to the ship’s communications hub.

****

  


  


She’s about halfway through a download when she hears someone coming hiding in behind a loose cable she sees a rag tag group of four enter the hub. One of them goes to the console and she curses silently when the other three take up position near the door. They don’t look like Galra but they are also compromising her position and, maybe it’s cold but her brother’s more important than whatever they’re trying. Hopefully they wont notice her probe still running and downloading the ship’s data on the rebels to her armors on board computer.

  


“Wait?” The second smallest of the four, the one at the console says, “someone’s already in this system. Well there goes that hope, time for plan B, the ‘B’ being for beat them up and run. Ever since Sendak invaded the castle she’s been refining that one to perfection.

  


The techie rebel barely has time to bring up his quarter staff when she’s got her bayard to his neck, “leave it and we can pretend we never saw each other” she says coldly. There’s a heavy silence when the quarter staff wielding rebel with he bayard at his throat makes a confused half hysterical laugh.

  


“Katie?” He whispers she blinks, and slowly he removes his mask.

  


“Matt?” She asks voice low not daring to hope, then the weapons are forgotten and she finds herself scooped up into her brother’s arms.

  


He’s laughing, “you weren’t kidding when you said you’d come up after me! How’d you get here? Have you grown at all? How’d you get that armor? Who taught you how to lay an ambush like that?” Then his face sobers, “why are you here? This is a quiznacking warzone!”

  


She wriggles out of his grasp and drops to her feet with a huff. “In order? I came to get you dummy. Yes I have grown you complete ass. And as for the last three? I’ve been in lots of fights now.” Her smile turns sly with just a hint of smug, “You ever heard of Voltron?”

  


Matt’s eyes bug and he gives her armor a second glance. “Oh, oh no fucking way!” He turns to the other three very confused and slightly worried looking rebels, “my sister is the gods damned green paladin!”

  


Then Keith’s voice rings out over the comm, “Pidge you finished down there? We gotta go, Emara’s on her way down herself and she’s pissed.”


End file.
